Article 22 of the Saudi Trademarks Law
المادة 22 من نظام العلامات التجارية · الفصل الثالث: شطب تسجيل العلامة التجارية
The Article allows the competent authority and every interested party to request a judgment cancelling a mark registered without right, subject to Article 7, and cancellation takes place once a final judgment is submitted.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
مع عدم الإخلال بأحكام المادة "7" من هذا القانون يكون للجهة المختصة ولكل ذي شأن، اللجوء إلى المحكمة المختصة بطلب الحكم بشطب العلامة التجارية التي تكون قد سجلت بغير وجه حق وتقوم الجهة المختصة بشطب التسجيل متى قدم لها حكمًا نهائيًا بذلك.
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 22 explained in plain English
This Article governs cancelling a trademark registered without right through the courts.
Who may make the request:
- The competent authority itself.
- Every interested party, that is, everyone with an interest in cancelling the mark.
The route: Going to the competent court with a request for a judgment cancelling the mark that was registered without right.
Implementation: The competent authority cancels the registration once a final judgment is submitted to it to that effect. Cancellation here does not take place merely on filing the case or on a non-final judgment.
The limit: The Article begins with the phrase "without prejudice to the provisions of Article 7", meaning this right is exercised without affecting what Article 7 provides. The text presented here does not contain the details of Article 7, so it should be read with it to know the limits of this right.
The Article does not specify the cases in which a mark is considered registered without right, nor a period for filing the case; those matters are referred to the other provisions of the Law and to the court's assessment. This route differs from Article 23, which allows the owner himself to ask the competent authority directly to cancel his mark. To assess the chances of a cancellation case, it is wise to consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial cases.
Practical example
A company in Jeddah discovered that someone had registered in his own name a mark it considers registered without right. The company filed a case before the competent court requesting a judgment cancelling it. After the judgment became final, it submitted it to the competent authority, which cancelled the registration from the register.
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 22 of the Saudi Trademarks Law
Who may request cancellation of a trademark registered without right?
The competent authority and every interested party, by going to the competent court with a request for a judgment of cancellation.
When does the competent authority cancel the mark after the judgment?
It cancels the registration once a final judgment to that effect is submitted to it.
Is this right absolute?
The Article provides that it is exercised without prejudice to the provisions of Article 7 of the Law.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Cancelling a Trademark
- Article 7
The Article treats whoever registers a mark in good faith as its owner, bars disputing it after five years of use without a court dispute, and lets the earlier user request cancellation within five years.
1 - يعتبر من قام بتسجيل العلامة التجارية بحسن نية مالكًا لها، ولا تجوز المنازعة في ملكية العلامة متى اقترن تسجيل العلامة باستعمالها مدة خمس سنوات على الأقل دون
- Article 23
The Article allows the mark owner to request cancellation in whole or in part, and a mark licensed under a contract noted in the register is cancelled only with the licensee's written consent unless he expressly waives.
لمالك العلامة التجارية أن يطلب من الجهة المختصة شطب العلامة من السجل، سواء عن كل السلع أو الخدمات التي سجلت عنها العلامة أو عن جزء منها فقط، ويقدم طلب الشطب وفق
- Article 24
The Article allows the competent court, at the request of any interested party, to order cancellation of a mark proved not to have been seriously used for five consecutive years, unless the owner provides a justification for non-use.
للمحكمة المختصة، بناء على طلب من كل ذي شأن، أن تأمر بشطب العلامة من السجل إذا ثبت لديها أن العلامة لم تستعمل بصفة جدية لمدة خمس سنوات متتالية، إلا إذا قدم مالك
- Article 25
The Article bars re-registering a cancelled mark for others for the same or similar goods or services before three years pass from cancellation, unless the cancellation was by a judgment that set a shorter period.
إذا تم شطب العلامة من السجل، فلا يجوز أن يعاد تسجيلها لصالح الغير عن ذات السلع أو الخدمات أو عن سلع أو خدمات مشابهة، إلا بعد مضي ثلاث سنوات من تاريخ الشطب، ما ل
- Article 26
The Article requires cancellation of a trademark from the register to be publicized by the means of publication specified by the Implementing Regulations of the Law.
يجب إشهار شطب العلامة من السجل بوسيلة النشر التي تحددها اللائحة التنفيذية لهذا القانون (النظام).
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.