Egypt is a member of the Paris Convention, the Madrid Agreement and Protocol, and the WTO/TRIPS.

Provision is made for the registration of trade marks for goods and services and for collective marks and certification marks. There is no specific provision for defensive marks.

Trade mark applications may be filed as national applications, in appropriate circumstances claiming priority in terms of the Paris Convention; or Egypt may be designated in international applications in terms of the Madrid Agreement or Protocol

International classification of goods and services applicable

Types of Trademarks registrable

Service marks are registrable.
Egypt operates a “single-class” system registration system (A separate application is required for each class).
Collective marks
Certification marks
No provisions for defensive marks

International and regional arrangements

Madrid agreement
Paris union

Documents required for trademark registration

1. Particulars of Applicant (name, address and nationality)
2. Power of Attorney incorporating an Arabic translation, notarized and legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate
3. Certificate of Incorporation legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate
4. Representation of the mark
5. Specification of goods and / or services
6. Certified copy of the priority document

It is advisable that the above documents are provided well ahead of time to enable us, arrange for the necessary translations prior to filing the application at the Egyptian Registry.

Egypt is a member of the Paris Convention, the PCT and the WTO/TRIPS. The deadline for entering the PCT national phase in Egypt is 30 months from the earliest priority date.

Patent protection may be obtained by way of a national filing, claiming priority in appropriate circumstances, or by way of an international application under PCT designating Egypt.

Documents required for National Patents

1. Power of attorney duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate (can be filed within 4 months from filing date).
2. Certificate of incorporation duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate (can be filed within 4 months from filing date).
3. Certified copy of the priority document (can be filed within 3 months from filing date).
4. Three copies of specifications, claims and drawings in English and Arabic.
5. Deed of assignment legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.

Documents required for PCT Applications

1. International Publication Sheet.
2. PCT Preliminary Examination Report.
3. PCT Demand.
4. International Search Report.
5. International Application Form
6. Power of attorney legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.
7. Two sets of specifications, claims, abstract and drawings in English with Arabic translation thereof (the translation can be submitted within six months from filing).
8. An extract of the entry of the applicant company in the commercial register or a copy of the certificate of incorporation. The document in either form should be duly legalized up to the Egyptian Consulate.

Validity

Patent is valid for 20 years from international filing date.

Egypt is a member of the Paris Convention and the Hague Agreement and the WTO/TRIPS. Design protection is obtainable via a national filing; since Egypt is a member of the Paris Convention, priority can be claimed.

Egypt is also a signatory to the Hague Agreement which allows for international registration of industrial designs. Egypt became a signatory to the Hague Agreement in 1952, but it is not clear if Egypt’s national laws recognize international registrations designating Egypt, as this issue has not been tested by the courts.

Documents required for design

1. Power of attorney legalized. (If the applicant is French national, then legalization is not required).
2. Certificate of Incorporation or an extract from the Commercial Register of the applicant company
3. 3 copies of the drawing of design.
4. Summary description of the design.
5. Legalized priority document together with certified English translation.

Egypt is a member of the Berne Convention, the Phonograms Convention, and the WTO/TRIPS.

The law confers copyright on the authors of literary and artistic works. A work is defined to mean any literary, artistic or scientific creation of whatever type or mode of expression. The creative aspect refers to the originality of the work. The following works are specifically included:

• books, articles, bulletins and any other written works
• computer programs
• databases, whether readable by computer or otherwise
• lectures, speeches, sermons and other oral works
• dramatic and dramatic-musical works
• musical works
• audiovisual works
• works of architecture
• drawings, sculpture, lithography
• photographic works
• works of applied art
• derivative works.

Derivative works are derived from existing works, such as translations, re-arrangements, compilations, and collections of expressions of folklore.