Kuwait : Final GCC country with PCT membership

Kuwait became the 149th member of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) on June 9, 2016, and the sixth Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member state to accede to the PCT. The Treaty is expected to enter into force on September 9, 2016. With Kuwait’s accession, all GCC countries are now members of the PCT, thus enabling the GCC Patent Office to accede to the PCT itself in the future.

This update comes after the Kuwaiti Patent Office has stopped accepting new patent applications as of April 4, 2016. It is advising parties interested in seeking patent protection in Kuwait to utilize the GCC Patent Office. As a reminder, a GCC patent application automatically designates all six GCC member countries, and no further validation is required upon grant. It is not yet possible to designate the GCC in PCT international applications or to enter the national (regional) stage via the GCC Patent Office for a PCT international application.

We expect further developments and news in this area that should clarify the direct benefits of Kuwait’s accession to the PCT.

If you have any questions, or require any additional information, please contact us at mail@kuwaitmark.com