Libya’s Trademark Office temporary suspends acceptance of foreign applications and trade mark registrations

Libya’s trade mark office has suspended the acceptance of trade mark applications and registrations of trade marks filed by foreign applicants with effect from 1 November 2022. According to the administrative directive of Libya’s Ministry of Economy and Trade, as of 1 November 2022 the Office limited its operation to the procedures listed below, while the status of pending procedures concerning foreign-owned trade marks is not clear. 

The Office has reported that as of 1 November 2022 its activities will be limited to the following:

1. It will be accepting applications of companies owning national production and service units only;
2. It will be archiving issued trade mark decisions;
3. It will be preparing information systems, in accordance with international standards, in a manner that does not violate the regulations and decisions issued in this regard, in cooperation with the Economic Information and Documentation Center;
4. The Director of Libya’s trade mark office will submit all data not included in the Ministry’s system and not circulated in accordance with the legal procedures and organisational structure of the Ministry, approved by Cabinet Decree No. (235) of 2021, and will deliver the application record from No 22099 to the last mark published in the Official Gazette and up to the last mark filed in the register;
5. It will continue to maintain the register of companies dealing with the Trademark Office in registering trade marks;
6. It will continue to maintain the register of transfer and assignment of ownership of trade marks.

For more details, please contact your local lawyer.