Article 21 of the Saudi Trademarks Law

This Article provides temporary protection for a special category of marks: marks placed on goods displayed at exhibitions.

Conditions for temporary protection:

• The mark must be placed on goods displayed at an exhibition.
• The exhibition must be an official international exhibition or one officially recognized.
• The exhibition must be held within the state.
• The mark must meet the registration conditions set out in the Law.

Period of protection: Protection lasts for the duration of the display of the goods at the exhibition.

Details: The Article refers to the Implementing Regulations to specify the rules and procedures for granting temporary protection, so the text itself does not state how this protection is requested or what documents it needs.

The Article concerns exhibitions held within the state and does not address exhibitions held abroad. The protection is also temporary by nature, so it does not replace ordinary registration, which gives protection for ten years, renewable, under Article 20. It is followed by Article 22, which allows the competent authority and every interested party to request a judgment cancelling a mark registered without right.

Anyone planning to take part in an international exhibition with products bearing an unregistered mark is well advised to review the Implementing Regulations or consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial cases before the exhibition.