Designs
Legal Basis
– Palestinian Patent and Design Ordinance No. 23 of 1924.
– Decision of the Minister of Justice of the Palestinian Authority of September 8, 1996.
Membership in International Conventions
– None.
Filing and Protection
Applicants not residing in the Gaza Strip: must appoint an agent there.
Novelty: a design application is to be deposited before the design is published or used in Palestine.
Novelty grace period: not provided for.
Priority: not applicable.
Multiple deposits: not provided for.
Conditions of protection: a design must be new and original.
Not registrable: designs which are contrary to the law, morality or public order.
Filing requirements for an application (to be sent to resident agent):
1. Power of attorney, simply signed and stamped, clearly stating the applicant’s name and address;
2. 3 sets of specimens or representations of the design;
3. Name, nationality, address and occupation or business of the applicant;
4. Class(es) in which the design is to be registered;
5. Articles covered by the design and the material used in producing these items;
6. Description of the design pointing out its novel aspects;
7. A certified copy of the home country application/registration.
Electronic filing: not available.
Electronic signatures: are accepted.
Examination: formal only.
Appeal: not applicable.
Opposition: may be filed within two months from publication.
Duration: five years from the filing date.
Renewal: for two further five-year periods.
Working: a design registration is vulnerable to cancellation if the design has not been exploited to a reasonable extent.
Compulsory license: the government has the authority to exploit a design if it is of a special significance; in that event, the applicant is reimbursed properly.
Assignment: possible.
License: possible.
Marking: not applicable.
Infringement – penalties: not provided for.