The Omani Ministerial Decision No. 14 of 2000 published on March 20, 2000 has ratified the GCC Patent Law with its new amendments. Oman is the first member of the GCC to publish the new GCC Patent Law as agreed upon in November 29, 1999 at the Gulf Cooperation Council meetings. The text has been published on the GCC Patent Office Website.

The new patent law shall come into force upon publication of the Bylaws (The Implementing Regulations) in accordance with Article (34) of the said law.

The Director of the GCC Patent Office in Saudi Arabia advised that the Implementing Regulation is under preparation and is expected to be published within two months. The remaining GCC countries who are yet to adopt and publish the regulations are Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia.

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