Article 3 of the Saudi Geographical Indications Law

This article sets out the scope of protection, that is, the geographical indications that enjoy the protection provided in the Law. There are three categories:

1. National geographical indications entered in the register: a national indication, which is one whose scope lies within the territory of the Kingdom as defined in Article 1, is protected if it is entered in the register.
2. Foreign indications protected in their country of origin, provided they are entered in that country's register of geographical indications.
3. Foreign indications protected under international agreements to which the Kingdom is a party.

Note that the first category ties the protection of a national indication to its being entered in the register, so the text does not mention protection for an unregistered national indication. A foreign indication is protected by one of two routes: protection and registration in its country of origin, or protection under an international agreement to which the Kingdom is a party.

This is the article to which Article 2 refers when it states the aim of the Law. It is followed by Article 4, which requires the Authority to prepare a register in which geographical indications, their elements, their registration applications and the dispositions made on them are entered.

To find out whether a particular indication falls within these categories, the person concerned should consult a lawyer specializing in intellectual property.