Since Egypt was in a transitional period for the application of the PCT in Egypt, the protection period and the due dates of annuities were calculated as from the filing date of the national phase application in Egypt. However, from now on, the responsibles of Patent Office announced 4 March 2009 that the protection period of all the national phase applications of PCT filed in Egypt, as from 25 September 2003 (the date of joining Egypt in the PCT), is 20 years calculated as from the PCT international filing date NOT from the filing date in Egypt. Accordingly, the patent annuities for all the national phase applications of PCT filed in Egypt have to be calculated also as from the PCT international filing date. Therefore, all the due annuities of all the national phase applications of PCT filed in Egypt have to be paid retroactively according to the new calculation. Consequently, all the patent attorneys requested a grace period to advise the clients with the new amendment in order to obtain their instructions for payment of the due annuities and then the Head of the Patent Office granted, orally in the said meeting, 6 months grace period, as from 4 March 2009, for payment of all annuities, which are due for payment according to the new calculation.
Regarding the Patent Deeds of the national phase applications of PCT, which were issued before the said amendment, stating that the protection period is 20 years as from the filing date in Egypt, the Head of the Patent Office declared that there will be an official letter stating the new protection period for each patent according the new calculation without any need for the correction in the original issued Patent Deed in order to save time and costs.
By Nagla F. Zaki
Patents Dept.
Bureau Joseph
