Article 33 of the Saudi Patents Law
المادة 33 من نظام براءات الاختراع · الفصل الأول: أحكام عامة
The article provides that a judgment invalidating the grant of a protection document makes the grant treated as if it never existed from its date of issue, with a special rule on license payments and publication of the judgment.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
الحكم ببطلان قرار منح وثيقة الحماية كليا أو جزئيا يترتب عليه اعتبار هذا القرار كأن لم يكن من تاريخ صدوره، وذلك في نطاق ما قضي ببطلانه، على أنه ليس من شأن الحكم ببطلان وثيقة الحماية رد المبالغ التي دفعت مقابل الترخيص باستغلالها، ما لم يثبت المرخص له أن ما عاد إليه من فائدة نتيجة الترخيص لا تعادل ما دفعه من مبالغ، فيحق له استرداد ما تجاوز الفائدة التي حصل عليها، وينشر الحكم ببطلان قرار المنح عقب صدوره، ولا يسري أثره بالنسبة للغير إلا من تاريخ نشره.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 33 explained in plain English
After Article 32 allowed a challenge seeking invalidation of the decision granting a protection document, this article sets out the consequences of a judgment of invalidity.
- Retroactive effect: the grant decision is treated as if it had never existed from the date it was issued, not just from the date of the judgment.
- Within the limits of what was invalidated: if the invalidity is partial, this effect is limited to the part judged invalid, and the rest remains.
- License payments: the general rule is that a judgment of invalidity does not require refund of amounts the licensee paid to exploit the document. The exception is where the licensee proves that the benefit it obtained from the license does not equal what it paid; it is then entitled to recover only the excess over the benefit it obtained.
- Publication: the judgment of invalidity is published after it is issued, and its effect applies against third parties only from the date of its publication.
This means the licensee does not automatically recover everything it paid; the burden of proof is on it, and what is recovered is the difference between what it paid and what it benefited. Third parties with no connection to the case are also not affected by the judgment before it is published.
Assessing the benefit the licensee obtained varies from case to case, so anyone in this situation is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in intellectual property and patents.
Practical example
A factory in Dammam paid SAR 500,000 to a company that owned a patent, in return for a license to exploit it, and the patent was later judged invalid in full. The factory is not automatically entitled to recover the whole amount, but if it proves that the benefit it obtained from the license did not exceed SAR 300,000, it may recover SAR 200,000, the amount above the benefit it obtained.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 33 of the Saudi Patents Law
Is the license fee refunded if a patent is invalidated?
A judgment of invalidity does not require refund of license payments, unless the licensee proves that its benefit does not equal what it paid, in which case it recovers the amount exceeding that benefit.
From what date does the invalidity of a protection document take effect?
The grant decision is treated as if it never existed from its date of issue, within the scope of what was judged invalid, and the effect applies against third parties only from the date the judgment is published.
Is a judgment invalidating a patent published?
Yes. The judgment invalidating the grant decision is published after it is issued.
More articles on Patents and Appeals Committee
- Article 7
The article lets a person whose subject of protection was taken from them ask the Committee to transfer ownership of the application or document to them; a claim is not heard after five years from grant except on proof of the applicant's bad faith.
إذا كان موضوع الحماية المدعى به في طلب الحماية، أو في وثيقة الحماية مأخوذًا من موضوع حماية يعود الحق فيه إليه شخص آخر خلاف مقدم الطلب أو مالك وثيقة الحماية؛ فإن
- Article 32
The article allows any interested party to challenge before the Committee the decision granting a protection document and ask for its invalidation in whole or in part for breach of the grant conditions.
يجوز لكل ذي مصلحة أن يطعن أمام اللجنة في قرار منح وثيقة الحماية، طالبًا الحكم بإبطاله كليا أو جزئيا، تأسيسًا على مخالفة الشروط المقررة لمنح وثيقة الحماية. وعلى
- Article 34
The article defines infringement of protected subject matter and empowers the Committee to stop infringement and award compensation and a fine of up to SAR 100,000, doubled for repeat offenses.
يعد تعديا على موضوع الحماية القيام بأي عمل من أعمال الاستغلال المنصوص عليها في الأحكام الخاصة لكل موضوع من موضوعات الحماية، يقوم به أي شخص في المملكة دون موافقة
- Article 36
The article sets the Committee's jurisdiction over disputes and challenges to decisions on protection documents and over criminal cases arising from violations of the Law and its regulations.
أ - تختص اللجنة بما يأتي : 1 - النظر في جميع المنازعات والطعون في القرارات الصادرة بشأن وثائق الحماية . 2 - الدعاوى الجزائية الناشئة عن مخالفة أحكام هذا النظام
- Article 37
The article regulates how the Committee issues its decisions, requires it to rule even where the text is silent, and allows a grievance before the Board of Grievances within sixty days of notification.
تصدر اللجنة قراراتها بالأغلبية، على أن تكون مسببة، ويتلى منطوقها في جلسة علنية، وليس للجنة أن تمتنع عن إصدار قرار في الدعوى استنادًا إلى عدم وجود نص يحكم النزاع
- Article 38
The article gives the Committee the right to write to government bodies and request clarifications, and requires the City to provide it, on request, with the documents of the protection applications or subject matter in dispute.
للجنة حق مخاطبة الجهات الحكومية المعنية، وطلب ما ترى لزومه من الإيضاحات والبيانات، وعلى المدينة موافاة اللجنة بجميع المستندات والأوراق المتعلقة بطلبات الحماية،
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.