The UAE Patent Office is currently facing the challenge of
clearing the backlog of pending patent and the design applications
filed in the UAE.
Position in 2009
In 2009, the Patent Office focused on clearing the backlog of
design applications, and to that end treated patent applications
with lower priority. As a result, the Patent Office has succeeded
in examining all the design applications filed up to 2007, and they
are expecting to examine all the design applications filed in 2008
by the end of 2010.
Position in 2010
In 2010, the Patent Office is trying to balance its efforts in
respect of patent and design applications. In April 2010 they
published 11 patent applications, and in June 2010 they granted 18
patents.
Despite its efforts to balance the attention it gives to both
patents and designs, the Patent Office still has a backlog of
patent applications. Until now, only approximately 200 patent
applications in total have been examined and granted (1997-2002).
The Patent Office is aiming to finish examining the patent
applications filed up to the end of 2005 by the end of 2010.
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