WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO  IP/N/1/SAU/E/1 
13 November 2006 
 (06-5472) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English/ 
 anglais/  inglés 
 
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
LAWS AND REGULATIONS NOTIFIED UNDER 
ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
 
SAUDI ARABIA 
  The present document reproduces the text
1 of the Regulations of Border Procedures for 
Protection of Intellectual Property Rights of Trad emarks and Copyrights, which Saudi Arabia has 
notified under Article 63.2 of the Ag reement (see document IP/N/1/SAU/1). 
 
 
Conseil des aspects des droits de propriété 
intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce  
 
PRINCIPALES LOIS ET RÉGLEMENTATIONS CONSACRÉES À LA 
PROPRIÉTÉ INTELLECTUELLE NOTIFIÉES AU TITRE 
DE L'ARTICLE 63:2 DE L'ACCORD 
 
ARABIE SAOUDITE 
 
 Le présent document contient le texte1 du règlement relatif aux pr océdures à la frontière pour 
la protection des droits de propriété intellectuelle en ce qui concerne les marques de fabrique ou de 
commerce et les droits d'auteur, notifié par l'Arabie saoudite au titre de l'article 63:2 de l'Accord (voir 
le document IP/N/1/SAU/1).  
 
Consejo de los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad 
Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio  
 
PRINCIPALES LEYES Y REGLAMENTOS DEDICADOS A LA PROPIEDAD 
INTELECTUAL NOTIFICADOS EN VIRTUD DEL PÁRRAFO 2 
DEL ARTÍCULO 63 DEL ACUERDO 
 
ARABIA SAUDITA 
  En el presente documento se reproduce el texto
1 del Reglamento de los Procedimientos en 
frontera para la protección de los derechos de prop iedad intelectual relativos a marcas de fábrica o 
comercio y derechos de autor, que Arabia Saudita ha notificado en virtud del párrafo 2 del artículo 63 
del Acuerdo (véase el documento IP/N/1/SAU/1). 
                                                      
 1 In English only. The text in the original language is available for consultation by interested 
Delegations at the WTO Secretariat./En anglais seulemen t.  Les délégations intéressées peuvent consulter le 
texte dans sa langue d'origine, au Secrétariat de l'OM C./En inglés solamente.  Las delegaciones interesadas 
podrán consultar en la Secretaría de la OMC el texto en su idioma original. 
 IP/N/1/SAU/E/1 
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REGULATIONS OF BORDER 
PROCEDURES FOR PROTECTION OF  
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OF  
TRADEMARKS AND COPYRIGHTS 
 
Ministerial  Decision No. (1277) 
15 Jumada I  1425H – 3 July 2004 
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
  IP/N/1/SAU/E/1 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Article 1:   Scope of Regulations 
Provisions of these Regulations shall apply to intell ectual property rights with regard to trademarks 
and copyrights . 
 
Chapter One 
Border Procedures Undertaken by Customs 
 
 
Article 2: Suspending Clearance Procedures by the Customs’ Self Initiative 
(a) The Customs Authorities may suspend the cl earance of goods suspected of bearing 
imitated trademarks upon having prima facie  evidence to this effect, and they shall 
notify the importer and the trademark ow ner, if his address is known, of the 
suspension. 
 
(b) The Customs Authorities shall refer samples of the imported works to the 
competent officials at the Ministry of Cu lture and Information. The Ministry may 
suspend the clearance of said works upon  having proofs of infringement upon 
others’ intellectual rights, and it shall no tify the Customs Authorities, the importer 
and the right holder, if his addre ss is known, of the suspension.  
 
Article 3:  Inspection of Suspended Goods 
Without prejudice to the protection of conf idential information, the right holder and 
importer may inspect samples of goods or work s the clearance of whic h has been suspended 
in order to confirm the claim of the competent authorities. 
 
Article 4:   Requesting Assistance of the Trademark Owner 
 
Upon suspending the clearance of goods of their own accord, the Customs Authorities may 
ask the trademark owner to provide, free of c harge, any information or assistance, including 
technical know-how and facilities, in order to determine if the goods are counterfeits. 
 
 IP/N/1/SAU/E/1 
Page 4  
 
  Chapter Two 
Border Procedures 
Pursuant to an Order by the Board of Grievances or a 
Decision by the Ministry of Culture and Information  
 
Article 5: Seeking the Issuance of a Preventive Seizure Decision  
  against a Work in Violation of Copyright Law  
Upon having legitimate reasons for suspending  the clearance of infringing works, the 
copyright owner may, at any time, even prior to  filing a civil or criminal lawsuit, submit a 
request in writing to the Ministry of Cu lture and Information for the issuance of a 
decision to suspend the clearance of said works, in accordance with the procedures 
specified by the Implementing Regulations of Copyright Law . 
 
Article 6: Seeking the Issuance of a Preventive Seizure Order  
  against Goods Bearing  Counterfeit Trademarks 
 
The trademarks owner may, at anytime, even pr ior to filing a civil or criminal lawsuit, 
and on the basis of a petition enclosed th erewith an official trademark registration 
certificate, seek the issuance of a judicial or der by the Board of Grievances to seize the 
goods bearing a counterfeit of his trademark and suspend their clearance by Customs, in 
accordance with the procedures and conditio ns stipulated in Article Forty Nine of 
Trademarks Law.  
 
Article 7: The Customs’ Suspension of Clearance of Infringing Goods  
  or Works pursuant to an Order by the Board of  Grievances    or a Decision by the Ministry of Culture and Information 
 
The Customs shall, pursuant to a preventive seizure order by the Board of Grievances or 
a decision by the Ministry of Culture and  Information, suspend the clearance of 
infringing goods or works . 
Article 8:  Request for Reconsideration by the Party against  
  whom the Preventive Seizure has been Issued 
 
Without prejudice to the execution of the seiz ure, the party against whom the preventive 
seizure has been issued may, within ten days fr om the date of notification of the seizure, 
file a request either with the circuit handling the case at the Board of Grievances or the  IP/N/1/SAU/E/1 
 Page 5 
 
 
  competent department at the Ministry of Culture and Information to reconsider it by 
revoking the same or staying its execution.  
 
Article 9:  Annulment of Seizure if not Followed by Filing a Lawsuit 
 
The seizure order issued by the Board of Grie vances or the preventi ve seizure decision 
issued by the Ministry of Culture and Inform ation shall be deemed null and void unless the 
right holder follows it by filing a civil or cr iminal lawsuit against whom such an order has 
been issued, within ten days fr om the date of its issuance. 
 
Article 10:  Grace Period for Clearance of Goods  
If the right holder does not submit to the Customs Authorities, within ten days from his 
notification of the preventive seizure order or decision, proof of his filing a civil or criminal 
lawsuit with the Board of Grievances or with  the competent committee at the Ministry of 
Culture and Information, the Customs Authorities  shall clear the goods and works subject of 
seizure, if other conditions of import and export have been complied with. 
 
 
Chapter Three 
Disposal of Goods and Works 
Infringing Intellectual Property Rights 
 
Article 11: Disposal of Infringing Goods and Works 
The Customs Authorities shall be entruste d with the execution of judgments and 
decisions issued by the competent bodies for the confiscation or destruction of 
infringing goods and works, and they shall have the power to dispose of the same 
through non-commercial outlets, unless ot herwise adjudicated by the judicial 
authority or as directed by the co mpetent administrative authority.  
Article 12: Re-Exportation 
The Customs Authorities shall undertake not to  allow the re-exportation of goods bearing 
counterfeit trademarks without altering thei r condition or subjecting them to another 
customs procedure, other than in exceptional circumstances. 
 
 
Chapter Four 
General Provisions 
 
Article 13: Challenging Decisions of the Customs Authority 
 
The parties concerned may challenge the de cisions issued by the Customs Authority, 
in respect of the application of these Regu lations, before the Board of Grievances IP/N/1/SAU/E/1 
Page 6  
 
  within sixty days of notification in writing or  through publication, if notification is not 
possible. 
 
Article 14: Publication of these Regulations and their Coming  
  into Effect 
 
These Regulations shall be published in the O fficial Gazette and shall come into effect 
after ninety days from the date of publication.   
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