Article 55 of the Saudi Patents Law
المادة 55 من نظام براءات الاختراع · الفصل الرابع: أحكام خاصة بحماية الأصناف النباتية الجديدة
The article defines the conditions for a plant patent: novelty with its periods inside and outside the Kingdom, distinctness, uniformity and stability, and how a plant variety is named.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
أ - يعد الصنف النباتي جديدًا إذا لم يتم – عند تاريخ إيداع الطلب، أو تاريخ الأسبقية المطالب بها - بيع مواد التناسل أو التكاثر النباتي للصنف، أو منتجات محصول الصنف، أو لم تتم إتاحتها للغير من قبل مستنبط النبات، أو بموافقته لأغراض استغلال الصنف النباتي، وفقًا لما يأتي :
1 - في المملكة العربية السعودية منذ أكثر من سنة.
2 – في الدول الأخرى منذ أكثر من أربع سنوات، أو أكثر من ست سنوات، إذا كان الصنف أشجارًا أو كرومًا.
ب - يعد الصنف النباتي مميزًا إذا أمكن تمييزه بوضوح عن أي صنف آخر يكون وجوده مشهورًا علانية عند تاريخ إيداع الطلب، أو في تاريخ الأسبقية المطالب بها، وتحدد اللائحة الحالات التي يكون وجود الصنف النباتي فيها مشهورًا علانية.
جـ - يعد الصنف النباتي متجانسًا إذا كان في صفاته الأساسية متجانسًا بصورة كافية، مع مراعاة التباين المتوقع من خواص تكاثره.
د - يعد الصنف النباتي ثابتًا إذا لم تتغير صفاته الأساسية إثر تكاثره المتتابع، أو في نهاية كل دورة تكاثر معينة.
هـ - تكون تسمية الصنف النباتي بتحديد جنسه ونوعه، ويجب أن تسمح التسمية بالتعرف على الصنف.
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 55 explained in plain English
This article details the conditions that Article 54 summarized for obtaining a plant patent.
A - Novelty: a variety is new if, at the filing date of the application or the claimed priority date, its reproductive or propagating materials or harvested products have not been sold, or made available to others by the breeder or with the breeder's consent for the purpose of exploiting the variety:
- in the Kingdom for more than one year.
- in other countries for more than 4 years, or more than 6 years if the variety consists of trees or vines.
Sale or making available within these periods does not cost the variety its novelty; only going beyond them does.
B - Distinctness: it must be clearly distinguishable from any other variety whose existence is publicly known at the filing or priority date. The Implementing Regulations specify the cases in which a variety is publicly known.
C - Uniformity: it must be sufficiently uniform in its essential characteristics, taking into account the variation expected from the particularities of its propagation.
D - Stability: its essential characteristics must not change after repeated propagation, or at the end of each particular propagation cycle.
E - Naming: it is done by specifying its genus and species, and the name must allow the variety to be identified.
Article 56 relies on this distinctness criterion when it determines the derived varieties to which the plant patent owner's rights extend.
To calculate the novelty periods accurately, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in intellectual property and patents.
Practical example
An agricultural engineer bred a new grape variety and began selling its seedlings in a neighboring country 5 years ago, and has not sold it in the Kingdom. Because the variety is a vine, the relevant period in other countries is more than 6 years, so the variety does not lose its novelty because of this sale, and the other conditions remain to be met.
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 55 of the Saudi Patents Law
When does a plant variety lose its novelty?
If its propagating material or harvested products were sold or made available to others for exploitation purposes before the filing or priority date for more than one year in the Kingdom, or more than 4 years in other countries, or more than 6 years for trees and vines.
What is meant by the distinctness of a plant variety?
That it can be clearly distinguished from any other variety whose existence is publicly known at the filing or priority date, and the Implementing Regulations specify the cases of public knowledge.
How is a plant variety named?
By specifying its genus and species, and the name must allow the variety to be identified.
More articles on Plant Variety Protection
- Article 25
The article allows the City to grant a compulsory license for a plant variety covered by a plant patent on set conditions, including public interest, three years from grant and fair compensation, for two to four years.
أ - يجوز للمدينة أن تمنح ترخيصًا إجباريا للغير باستغلال الصنف النباتي المشمول ببراءة نباتية، وذلك بناء على طلب يقدمه إليها وفقًا لما يأتي : 1- أن يكون الترخيص ا
- Article 54
The article sets the conditions for a plant variety to obtain a plant patent: it must be new, distinct, uniform and stable, and a name must be proposed for it.
يكون الصنف النباتي قابلًا للحصول على براءة نباتية، إذا كان جديدًا، ومميزًا، ومتجانسًا وثابتًا، وشرع في تسميته.
- Article 56
The article gives the plant patent owner the right to sue anyone who exploits the protected variety's propagating material in the Kingdom without consent, and extends the rights to harvested material and derived varieties, with exceptions.
أ - لمالك البراءة النباتية الحق في رفع دعوى أمام اللجنة ضد أي شخص يتعدى على الصنف المحمي باستغلال مادة تكاثر الصنف المحمي دون موافقته داخل المملكة، ويعد استغلال
- Article 57
The article bars restricting the right arising from a plant patent by any measure taken to regulate the production, control, marketing, import or export of plant variety materials.
لا يجوز تقييد الحق الناشئ عن البراءة النباتية بأي تدبير يتخذ لتنظيم عمليات إنتاج مواد الأصناف النباتية، ومراقبتها، وتسويقها، واستيرادها، وتصديرها.
- Article 58
The article requires the plant patent owner to maintain the variety, supply the City with information and samples and propose an alternative name, and the patent lapses on breach after notice and a grace period.
يلتزم مالك البراءة النباتية بما يأتي: أ - الحفاظ على الصنف المحمي، أو – عند الحاجة – على مكوناته الوراثية طوال مدة الحماية. ب - تزويد المدينة بناء على طلبها بال
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.