Egyptian Trademark Gazette: a resource for existing mark holders

Egypt is a signatory to the Madrid Protocol on International Trademark Registration. As a result, Egypt uses the Nice Classification to classify goods and services, however classes 43, 44, and 45 were not created and adopted until 2002.

The Egyptian Legislature adopted Law No. 57 of 1939 for the Protection of Trademarks and Trade Information. It was intended to protect trademark holders against unlawful use of their brands. The prior laws were superseded by Law 82 of 2002 for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights. That is why, in order to protect as many trademarks as possible, something must be done to seek out and resist any other party that attempts to imitate the original brand. The Trademark Official Gazette is one of Egypt’s efficient mechanisms for protecting intellectual property rights. It informs brand owners about the most recent trademarks so that anyone who believes they may be damaged by the registration of a published mark can file a complaint with the Official Gazette.

After publishing its trademark in hard copy, Egypt’s Trademark Office opened its trademark publication online platform for the first time in March 2013.The trademark office published its first gazette in 1940, which was available at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and was printed by Al Ameria Presses. At the beginning of the year 2013, namely, at the beginning of March, the trademark office launched the new process for the online publication, making the gazette accessible to everyone through the following link: http://www.itda.gov.eg/jurnal-TM.aspx

After you submit your trademark for registration and the Trademark Office in Egypt examines it, your mark will be published “for the world” in the Trademark Official Gazette if there are no obvious legal reasons to refuse registration. The Egyptian Trademark Gazette is published between the 7th and 9th of every month. The gazette is essentially a listing of all trademarks that have been submitted for registration and passed an initial review over the prior week. You will find all the details that you need to know about the trademark, such as name, logo, filing date, filing number, list of goods and services, expiry date, applicant name, address, and class. The information published in the official gazette is the same as that found in a standard search of a trademark electronic search system, such as WIPO.

Anyone who believes the registered party’s use of the trademark may do them harm has 60 days from the date of publication to file an opposition. If an opposition is filed, the registrant party will be notified and must then decide whether to pursue the opposition or withdraw the trademark. Therefore, as we can see, the opposition’s proceedings are not to be taken lightly.

To summarize, the Trademark Official Gazette is a tool used by the government to ensure the fairness of the trademark registration process by allowing current trademark holders to defend their marks if necessary. As a result, it is vital that you grasp the Trademark Gazette’s goal, as well as the need to protect your own mark by keeping track of new marks as they are issued.

By: Marian Gad and Ghiwa El Zein

For further information in respect of the above, please reach out to us on Egypt@alyafi-ip.com.