The Egyptian authorities have announced the creation of a new IP office, which will be known as the Egyptian Authority for Intellectual Property (EAIP).*
The new authority will centralise IP protection in Egypt, gathering together all of the official IP bodies, such as the Trademark Office, the Patent Office, the Copyright Office, the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology and the Plant Varieties Protection Office.
The announcement goes on to say that the Egyptian Authority for Intellectual Property will be required to be fully functional within a period of one year from the date of enforcement of this law, although the Prime Minister will be able to extend this period for a further six months. A full timeline of anticipated developments will be announced in due course.
It is important to note that the EAIP does not register IP rights, this is handled by all of the offices that fall under its administration. The EAIP is responsible for the implementation of Egypt’s National Intellectual Property Strategy, highlighting its importance in the country.
*The announcement was made in Law No. 163 of 2023, published in the Official Gazette No. 31 on 11 August 2023, establishing the Egyptian Authority for Intellectual Property