Riyadh, May 2025 – In its latest annual report, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) announced a year of record-breaking enforcement and innovation activity, underscoring the Kingdom’s growing commitment to intellectual property protection.
More than 3.6 million counterfeit and infringing items were confiscated in 2024, alongside the blocking and removal of approximately 34,000 infringing websites. These results stemmed from 20,000 inspection tours conducted across 51 cities, reflecting the authority’s determination to safeguard rights holders and foster a culture of compliance.
One of the report’s standout achievements was SAIP’s ability to take down illegal websites within just 50 minutes, demonstrating its advanced technical capacity to respond to IP violations swiftly and effectively.
Rising Demand for IP Protection
The report highlighted strong growth across all major IP rights:
- 52,400 trademark applications (+16% year-on-year)
- 8,000 patent applications
- 2,500 copyright applications (+63%)
- 2,100 design applications
By accelerating examination and registration procedures, some filings were processed in as little as one business day— positioning Saudi Arabia among the world’s most efficient IP offices.
Driving Awareness and Capacity Building
Beyond enforcement, SAIP placed emphasis on awareness and training. More than 25,000 participants benefited from the Intellectual Property Academy’s programs in 2024, while national IP awareness levels rose to 65.8%, marking a 17% improvement over the previous year. Advisory IP clinics also guided over 6,000 innovators and entrepreneurs.
Expanding International Influence
Internationally, Saudi Arabia reinforced its role as a key IP player. In 2024, SAIP began operating as an International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authority (ISA/IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, hosted the Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (DLT) in Riyadh, and launched an international trust fund with WIPO. Nearly 2,000 participants from 75 countries benefited from these initiatives.
A Path Toward Regional Leadership
The authority also recorded a 94% score on the Procedures Documentation Index, a 79% beneficiary satisfaction rate, and 83% employee engagement—achievements that reflect its pursuit of operational excellence and long-term leadership in IP governance.
📌 Source: Saudi Gazette
📩 For inquiries about intellectual property protection in Saudi Arabia, contact us at ksa@alyafi-ip.com
