The Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority (EGIPA) has announced the digitisation of the committees responsible for deciding grievances filed against decisions of the General Department of Trademarks and Industrial Designs.
The initiative forms part of EGIPA’s digital transformation plan under the National Digital Transformation Strategy and Egypt Vision 2030, as well as the first objective of the National Intellectual Property Strategy concerning digital transformation and the delivery of services through modern technology.
Grievance Committees to Convene Remotely
Under the new system, grievance committees in all their legally prescribed formations will convene remotely.
Sessions will be attended by the committee chairs, who are State Council judges, appointed university experts and relevant EGIPA personnel. Grievance applicants or their legal representatives will also be invited to attend remotely when their respective matters are scheduled, allowing them to present their arguments and submissions before the committee.
The option to appear before the committee in person will remain available according to the relevant committee schedule.
Electronic Submission of Documents
Documents and supporting evidence may be submitted electronically through the link designated for each committee.
Where necessary, original documents may still be requested for inspection. Documents that are required by law to be deposited must be submitted to the competent department on the date of the committee session.
EGIPA has also confirmed that all committee sessions will be recorded. Recordings will be retained on the Authority’s servers for up to 90 days, or until the grievance is decided or a court judgment is issued concerning its subject matter, whichever is later.
Practical Submission Procedure
In addition to the procedure set out in the announcement, EGIPA’s Legal Department has provided practical guidance regarding the submission of documents under the new arrangements.
IP agents are advised to provide all supporting documents and written submissions at least two working days before the hearing, excluding Friday and Saturday, which are official holidays in Egypt.
This will allow the Legal Department to compile the documents into a single file for the committee members and provide the committee chair with sufficient time to review the submissions during the session, particularly during the initial implementation of the new hearing arrangements.
The new process introduces remote participation and electronic document submission into grievance proceedings while retaining the existing option for in-person appearances.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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