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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Industrial design protection valid for five years

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Muscat, August 24 - The Sultanate attaches importance to all aspects of intellectual property through draft regulations and laws.


The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) pointed out that the period of industrial design protection is five years starting from the date the application submitted to the ministry after paying fees.


According to Nidaa al Tamimi, a patent inspection specialist at MoCI, the fees can be paid during six months after submitting the application. Otherwise the industrial design registration shall be cancelled.


“The fees have been reduced to RO 100 for students and researchers and to RO 500 for SMEs. The fees for the Industrial Design Certificate were reduced to RO 50 for students and researchers, and RO 250 for SMEs,” Nidaa said.


Granting protection


“Industrial design rights are regional as they limited to the place where they have been granted. Internationally, industrial design protection application can be submitted according to Hague Convention, which Oman has joined in 2008. To have the application accepted, the design should be new and haven’t be published or used anywhere else before,” Nidaa said.


Rights and obligations


The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is keen to promote the culture of protecting patent rights among local communities and all competent authorities. The industrial designs are a sub-field of intellectual property; as these designs have significance in distinguishing the different products, commodities and goods. They contribute to the success of the product in markets.


Industrial designs


The industrial design is the exterior appearance of a product or any formation of lines and colours, or 3D formation that provides the product with a special appearance that can be seen and recognised easily.


Protection


Providing protection to the industrial designs means that the owner shall have all rights to have his registered industrial design dedicated exclusively to the product assigned. Accordingly, the competitors of the industrial design owner shall have no right in copying the same design for their products without a written consent from the part of the original owner of the design.


Products subject to protection


“The industrial design protection rights can be implemented to a varied number of handcrafts including wrapping, boxes, furniture, home appliances and accessories, lighting, jeweller, appliances and textile,” Nidaa said.


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