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| Author Nederlandse Leeuw Licence CC BY-SA 4.0 Source Wikimedia Commons |
The UK has a new IP attaché for the Middle East and North Africa ("MENA") region. Her name is Sanaz Javadi Farahzadi and she is interviewed in the latest issue of IP Overseas. Ms Farahzadi succeeds Yamish Yakoob who was IP attaché to the Gulf Cooperation Council states between 2021 and earlier this year. Further information about Ms Farahzadi and her mission appears in the latest edition of the Attaché Contact Details guidance.
MENA is a large and diverse region stretching from the Atlantic to the Arabian Gulf. It includes some of the wealthiest states on the planet as well as some of the poorest. Wars are taking place in several parts of the region and the political complexion of the governments ranges from absolute monarchy to Ba'ath socialism.
The countries of the region vary widely in their level of protection for intellectual assets. Morocco and Tunisia have validation agreements with the European Patent Office. Saudi Arabia is hosting the Design Law Treaty Diplomatic Conference. The TRIPS agreement was signed in Marrakech. On the other hand, Palestine offers much more limited IP protection as I stated in IP Law in Palestine last year.
As I mentioned in Why is there no longer a British IP Attaché to the Gulf Co-operation Council? these chambers have invested heavily in the region. We are all entitled to appear as advocates before the English language, common law, commercial courts in Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai and several of us have appeared before those tribunals. We also sit as or appear before arbitrators and mediators in all parts of the region. We can also advise and represent clients from that region with interests in the United Kingdom,
Stephen Somerville, our first deputy senior clerk is currently in Dubai. Should anyone in that Emirate wish to meet him his email address is ssomerville@4-5.co.uk. Anyone wishing to discuss this article may call me during UK office hours on +44 (0)20 7404 5252 or send me a message through my contact form,
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