The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), the official body responsible for intellectual property matters within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has officially designated the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as an International Searching Authority (ISA) and an International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

This designation, effective immediately, empowers applicants in Saudi Arabia who are pursuing international patent protection via the PCT route with the option to select the USPTO to conduct the crucial international search and, if desired, preliminary examination reports for their PCT applications filed with SAIP.

This strategic decision by SAIP underscores the growing collaboration and strengthening ties between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States in the realm of intellectual property. The USPTO now joins the previous group of International Searching Authorities recognized by SAIP, which includes:

• The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO)
• The European Patent Office (EPO)
• The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS)
• The Egyptian Patent Office
• The Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property (ROSPATENT)
• The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)