The Patents and Industrial Designs Law, closely modeled on the TRIP'S agreement, allows inventors to obtain patent protection for 20 years from the date of application.

The patent-holder has the exclusive right to exploit the invention, including the right to pledge, assign or license the patent.

Provided the employee receives a fair remuneration, the employer has all the patent rights resulting from his employee's inventions invented during the work link or within the scope of the contact between them and for 1 full year following thereof.

After 20 years, the patent-holder's exclusive rights end and the invention enters the public domain. Manufacturing process, and final are patentable.

A separate office and register is maintained for the industrial designs. Industrial Designs are granted protection for 10 years from the date of registration, renewable for two similar periods

International Agreements

Egypt is a signatory to the Paris Convention and PCT Treaty. If a patent application is made in a member country of the Paris Convention or in any other country offering reciprocal treatment, the applicant has a priority right to apply for a patent in Egypt within one year of the related application abroad.

If a patent application is made in a member country of the PCT treaty or in any other country offering reciprocal treatment, the applicant has a priority right to apply for a patent in Egypt within 30 months of the related application abroad.