IP/C/R/TC/GCC/1  
 
7 October  2020 
(20-6877)  Page: 1/3 
Council for Trade -Related Aspects  of 
Intellectual Property Rights  Original: English   
 
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: INFORMATION FROM  
OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS  
COOPERATION COUNCIL FOR THE ARAB STATES OF THE GULF 
At its meeting of 30 July  2020, the Council for TRIPS agreed to invite intergovernmental organization 
observers to the Council to update the information on their technical and financial cooperation 
programmes relating to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement.  
 
The present document reproduces the information which has been  received from the 
Cooperation  Council for the Arab States of the Gulf  (GCC) by means of a communication dated 
6 October  2020. 
 
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1  INTRODUCTION  
1.  GCC is an intergovernmental organization with membership of the following states: 
United  Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and 
the State  of Kuwait.  
2.  According  to Article 20 of the GCC Economic Agreement which states that "member States shall 
develop program mes encouraging talented individuals and supporting in novation and invention; 
cooperate in the field of intellectual property and develop regulations and procedures ensuring the 
protection of intellectual property rights; and coordinate their relevant policies towards other 
countries, regional blocs and inter national and regional organizations", the GCC Secretariat General 
directs most of its technical cooperation activities to its Members.  
3.  This document presents a report on main technical cooperation activities undertaken by the 
Secretariat Gene ral of the GCC from 9 September 2019 to 9 September  2020, which are relevant to 
the intellectual property  (IP) issues, following the invitation of the Chairman of the WTO Council for 
TRIPS to provide updated information on such activities.  
4.  Technical assistance activ ities undertaken by the GCC Secretariat General during the 
above -mentioned period ha s focused on various concrete  IP aspects such as enforcement of IP laws, 
patent applications drafting and electronic filing cooperation in IT System,  innovation and inventi on, 
etc. These activities were conducted in the form of workshop s, on-job training, secondment or 
through supporting the participation in Conferences or in international IP exhibitions . A number of 
these activities  were organized in cooperation with some IP national offices. The said activities are 
listed in the Annex.  
5. The COVID -19 outbreak affected in one way or another  the technical cooperation activities 
undertaken by the GCC Secretariat General during the above -mentioned period.  
 
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  IP/C/R/TC/GCC/1  
 
- 2 - ANNEX1 
Summary  Attendance  Location  Date  Activity  
 
A Workshop was held in cooperation with SABIC to 
enhance the awareness of the innovation support 
among participants form the GCC States  Inventors from GCC States  Saudi Arabia SABIC 
Headquarters  1 October  2019 Innovation Support and IP 
Strategy in SABIC  
During this workshop, the GCC Patent Office 
submitted a working paper on the IPRs in the GCC 
region.  Specialists from the GCC 
Member States  Oman  20 October  2019 GCC and EU policies in the 
field of IPRs  
Developing electronic systems at  the Bahrain IP 
Office and launching E -filing system by IT experts of 
the GCC Patent Office  IT Experts of Bahrain 
National IP Office  Saudi Arabia  
GCC-SG 
Headquarters  24 October  2019 Cooperation in IT System  
This forum is taking place to spread awareness on 
the importance of the creativity and innovation in 
entrepreneurship, providing youth with knowledge 
and skills, and supporting talents to transform real 
innovations into successful investment projects.  Public  Saudi Arabia  
Qassim  03-05 November  
2019 The 2nd Qas sim Forum for 
innovation and invention  
The GCC Patent Office participates to opening up the 
Seoul International Invention fair in Germany and 
hosting and supporting the participation of inventors 
from the GCC States.  Inventors from GCC States  Seoul Korea  27- 30 November  
2019 Seoul International Invention 
Fair (SIIF 2019)  
Launching an electronic platform called “WIPO 
Publish” it allows researchers form the GCC States to 
have access to all patents granted by the GCCPO and 
the documents related to the granted patents by 
searching through different tools.   
Officials and specialists of 
the GCC Patent office   
Saudi Arabia  
GCC-SG 
Headquarters  05 December  2019 Launching “WIPO Publish”  
Search Platform  
Examining a number of patent applications filed at 
the Oman IP Office including Applications filed under 
PCT and sharing knowledge with the Examiners of 
the Oman IP Office  Patent Examiners of Oman 
National IP Office  Oman  
IP Office  31 December  2019- 
31 December  2020 
 One- year Employee 
Secondment  
Extension  
Examining a number of patent applications filed at 
the Kuwait National Patent Office including 
Applications filed under PCT and sharing knowledge 
with the Examiners of the Kuwait National Patent 
Office  Patent Examiners of Kuwait 
National Patent Office  Kuwa it National  
Patent Office  31 December  2019- 
31 December  2020 
 One- year Employee 
Secondment extension  
 
 
1 In English only .  
  IP/C/R/TC/GCC/1  
 
- 3 - Summary  Attendance  Location  Date  Activity  
 
Continuing to develop the electronic filing system at 
the Oman IP Office and its trial launch. In addition to 
completing data transfer processes between the 
systems, and developing the system and the online 
services in compliance with the patent law in the 
Sultanate of Oman.  IT Experts of Oman IP Office  Oman  
IP Office  22 December  2019- 
02 January  2020 Cooperation with Oman  
IP Office in IT  System  
Enhancing awareness on the big role of IP in 
stimulating innovation and creativity.  Public  Online through 
GCC-PO digital 
channels  26 Apr il 2020 IP Day Celebration  
Examining a number of patent applications filed at 
the Oman IP Office and sharing knowledge with the 
Examiners of the Oman IP Office.  Patent Examiners from 
Oman National IP Office  Saudi Arabia      
GCC-SG 
Headquarters  08-12 May, 2020  On job training - 
Virtual event where the experts of the GCC Patent 
Office share d knowledge with inventors from the GCC 
States about the processing of patent application at 
the GCC Patent Office.  Public at the GCC States  Virtual event  21 May, 2020  Arab Virtual Forum for 
Innovation  
Virtual forum seeking to support innovations and 
inven tions in the GCC region and empower 
innovators from the GCC States.  Public at the GCC States  Virtual event  23 June, 2020  Innovators Virtual Dialogue 
Forum  
 
 
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