This Would Raise the Kingdom’s Rank in the Global Innovation Index and Support the Knowledge Economy
His Excellency the Minister of Commerce and Investment, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Intellectual Property Authority (SIPA), Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, conveyed the highest thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz(May Allah Bless Him) for the Council of Ministers decree, issued today in Riyadh, approving the establishment of the Saudi Intellectual Property Authority, which is one of the MCI initiatives within the National Transformation Program 2020.
H.E. Dr. Al-Qasabi confirmed that the approval for the establishment of the Saudi Intellectual Property Authority will contribute to have more organization of work and more consolidated efforts. Notably, the intellectual property rights in the Kingdom were distributed among more than one authority, including the Ministry of Commerce and Investment (Trademarks), Ministry of Culture and Information (copyright), And King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (Patent rights). H. E. pointed out that the Supreme Decree comes to regulate the intellectual property rights by finding a reference that outlines the future directions, which may increase the protection of intellectual property rights and contribute to raising confidence in such rights.
H.E. Dr. Al Qasabi added that finding the said Authority aims to improve the business environment and support the knowledge economy, besides giving chance to the Saudi Youth to present their creativity and innovations, in addition to raising the Kingdom's rank in the Global Innovation Index, also enhancing the small and medium enterprises business, as well as harnessing the financial revenue for the development of intellectual property protection services.
H.E. Dr. Al Qasabi said "The decision for establishing the said Authority will contribute to promoting the foreign investments, within an environment that enjoys a high level of protecting the investor’s intellectual property rights, in all their forms, besides increasing the participation and consolidating views in the foreign representation, as well as following up the obligations, agreements, treaties and protocols, relevant to the intellectual property, to take full advantage of the assistance and technical support provided by the international organizations”.
H.E. Dr. Al Qasabi pointed out that finding such Authority would contribute to raising the economic revenue of the intellectual property outputs, and may set clear mechanisms for the intellectual property management, as well as coordinating the procedures, as much as possible, thus facilitating the registration of intellectual property rights, also embedding the intellectual property education and encouraging the innovation, besides the diversification of income sources, and reducing the rely on oil to support the national economy, which is part of the aims of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
H.E. Dr. Al Qassabi concluded his statement by saying that the said Authority will contribute to raising the investor’s awareness of the importance of registering the intellectual property rights, also would support finding intellectual property specialization in the Kingdom's universities, through the coordination with the Ministry of Education, H.E. pointed out as well that the trend of the most Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization is to make the intellectual property issues under One administrative entity, this would serve organizing and developing the intellectual property rights legislation.
It is worth mentioning that during 2016 AD, more than 20 thousand trademarks had been registered by MCI, and more than 7300 applications for registering patent rights, at the Saudi Patent Office, at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, the Ministry of Culture & Information received 186 cases to be considered and settled under the copyright violations.