UTPS files first PCT Application
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries are quickly transforming itself from an oil-based economy to a knowledge based economy which is fuelled by innovation. Such positive initiatives from the leadership help inventors to be innovative and its citizens to be conducive to the transformation of economy. In this regard, United Trademark & Patent Services was instrumental in drafting the patent specification and filing the first Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application for a Qatari national before Word Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The said application is the first PCT application that is filed solely by a Qatari national and United Trademark & Patent Services is the first Patent Agent to represent a sole Qatari national before WIPO. This brainchild has been indigenously developed by the Qatari national, himself. The PCT is an international treaty, which now has 148 member countries, throughout the world. It provides a unified patent filing procedure to protect inventions in each contracting states. The PCT assists Applicants in seeking patent protection internationally for their invention and helps national patent offices with their patent granting procedures. By filing one international or PCT application, Applicant can simultaneously seek protection for an invention in 148 countries. The Global Innovation Index 2014(published in July 2014) has placed all six GCC member countries in the top hundred innovation index, with Qatar at the 47th position. Although the region’s ecosystem for knowledge based economy is still evolving along with the policies, the vision of the leadership is creditable which will be innovation conducive to the transformation of economy and help the region to reap the symbiotic benefits.
