Transferring Patent Rights
Overview
In Kuwait, patents were previously governed by Kuwait Law No. 4/1962 Concerning Patents, Designs and Industrial Models. Later, the Kuwait Ministry of Commerce and Industry also enacted Kuwait Law No. 71/2013 on the Issuance of the GCC Patent Law and Kuwait Ministerial Decision No. 115/2016 On the Issuance of the Implementing Regulation of Kuwait Law No 71/2013 on the Issuance of the GCC Patent Law.
On 4 April 2016, Kuwait stopped accepting new patent applications. Instead, Kuwait directed those interested in acquiring patent rights in the country to utilise the GCC Regional Office. Following this announcement, Kuwait issued Kuwait Law No. 11/2016 Approving the Accession of the State of Kuwait to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) which paved the way for Kuwait's ascension to the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Kuwait officially became a member of the PCT on 9 September 2016.