Saudi Arabia Modernizes Border Enforcement with New Digital “Tahaqaq” Platform:  The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property has announced the pilot launch of “Tahaqaq,” a centralized electronic platform designed to digitize and accelerate trademark enforcement at Saudi borders. This platform fundamentally alters the traditional customs detention workflow.

  1. Registration is Mandatory for Border Notifications

The most vital takeaway for rights holders is the absolute dependency on the new platform for border visibility:

  • No Registration, No Alerts: to receive automated alerts when Saudi Customs intercepts suspected counterfeit goods at the border, brand owners must electronically register their existing registered trademarks directly on the Tahaqaq platform per mark, per class.
  • While onboarding onto the platform is legally characterized as “optional” in terms of corporate compliance, it is operationally mandatory if applicants wish to maintain a border watch.
  1. The New Border Inspection Workflow

Tahaqaq introduces a faster, less disruptive procedure for handling suspected counterfeit shipments entering the Kingdom:

  • Conditional Release to Importer: instead of physically detaining a suspected consignment at the port, Customs authorities will allow the importer to take possession of the goods. This is conditional upon the importer signing a strict, formal legal undertaking promising not to sell, distribute, or alter the shipment while the investigation is pending.
  • Physical Evidence Retained: Saudi Customs will retain physical samples of the suspected items at the port.
  • Digital Notification: Customs will upload high-resolution photographs of the samples and copies of the shipping documents directly to the Tahaqaq platform. The brand owner’s registered local agent will receive an automated alert to review the evidence remotely.
  1. Enforcement Options and Legal Consequences

Once a brand owner reviews the digital evidence and confirms that the goods are counterfeit, they must choose one of two enforcement strategies. The choice dictates how much visibility the brand owner has over the case:

Public Prosecution Route (No Civil Action): if the brand owner confirms the infringement, but chooses not to file a civil lawsuit, SAIP and Customs will handle the matter independently. The case is referred directly to public prosecutors as a criminal matter. Under this path, the brand owner and their agent will have no ongoing involvement, legal standing, or visibility. The authorities will not provide updates regarding the progress or final outcome of the criminal proceedings.

Parallel Litigation Route (Civil Action Filed): if the brand owner decides to initiate a civil claim against the importer, the dynamic changes. Upon receiving notice of the civil action, SAIP will launch parallel criminal proceedings. This route grants the brand owner and their legal counsel full procedural visibility, allowing them to track the criminal case, access relevant information, and actively monitor the enforcement outcome.

  1. Phases and Transition Timeline

SAIP is implementing Tahaqaq progressively over a projected two-month window to ensure system stability and allow for user onboarding. Tahaqaq is currently in a “Soft Launch” testing phase, successfully accepting trademark registrations prefixed with “TM-“. While a two-month transition was verbally indicated by authorities, full implementation across all ports is practically expected to take up to six months.

Meanwhile, trademarks must be recorded through Tahaqaq directly under the managing agent of service; otherwise, a “Change of Agent” procedure is required for any marks not originally registered by the recording firm. Onboarding strictly requires a copy of the Trademark Registration Certificate and a legalized/apostilled Power of Attorney (POA). Following full implementation, trademark border recordation is expected to be processed directly through the Tahaqaq platform. Accordingly, the current customs recordation mechanism is expected to be integrated into or replaced by the Tahaqaq system. Therefore, rights holders wishing to receive border enforcement notifications and customs alerts will be required to utilize the Tahaqaq platform once the transition is completed.

Saudi Arabia: Legal Framework Established for Geographical Indications in Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has achieved a significant milestone in modernizing its intellectual property landscape. Following the initial enactment of the Geographical Indications Protection System under Royal Decree No. M/102, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) has formally approved the accompanying Implementing Regulations via Board Resolution No. 2026/39/01.

According to the official publication in Umm Al-Qura Gazette, SAIP is prepared to begin accepting applications through its portal as soon as the system and its regulations officially enter into force. However, the substantive examination of these filings will remain on hold until SAIP formally approves and publishes the official fee schedule. The new framework establishes clear guidelines to protect product names, signs, and characteristics that are inherently tied to a specific geographical origin. To maintain market clarity, the regulations explicitly prohibit the registration of generic terminology or any names that could mislead consumers regarding a product’s true source. The administrative infrastructure, including filing forms and official fees, is being finalized.

Tanzania: A New Bill Proposes Major Intellectual Property Reforms

The Government of Tanzania has published The Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2026, proposing extensive modernizations to the national industrial property framework. Key updates under the new Bill include:

  • Banjul Protocol Formalization: incorporates the protocol into the Trade and Service Marks Act, solidifying the statutory validity of ARIPO trademark designations on Tanzania’s national level.
  • Well-Known Marks Protection: introduces TRIPS-aligned protection for well-known trademarks, safeguarding them regardless of local business presence or existing commercial goodwill.
  • New Mark Registrations: establishes statutory frameworks for securing collective and certification marks.
  • Patent and Design Alignment: standardizes national patent terms to twenty years and aligns international industrial design recognitions with national filings.

Because this text is currently a Bill pending before the National Assembly, these provisions have not yet officially entered into force. We are monitoring its legislative progression closely and will provide immediate operational updates upon its enactment.

Bahrain Formalizes Accession to the Locarno Agreement:

The Kingdom of Bahrain has officially advanced its national intellectual property infrastructure by enacting Law No. (21) of 2026, which formalizes the country’s accession to the Locarno Agreement. This treaty establishes an international classification system for industrial designs, standardizing how design rights are registered globally.

The law was published in Official Gazette Issue No. 3885 on Monday, May 25, 2026. Pursuant to Article 2 of the decree, the law entered into force on the day following its publication, making Tuesday, May 26, 2026, the formal, legally binding effective date of accession for the Kingdom.

The core aspect of this law is the adoption of the 15th edition of the Locarno Classification. This update provides rights holders with a robust, standardized baseline for defining and defending their industrial design assets during enforcement or litigation actions before domestic judicial authorities.

Should you require tailored guidance on how these specific classification criteria impact your current or upcoming industrial design assets in the region, please reach out to your primary contact at our firm for dedicated assistance.

Algeria Officially Implements the Apostille Convention:

Following its formal accession to the treaty on 5 November 2025, Algeria will officially implement Apostille Convention starting 9 July 2026. As a result, consulate legalization can be fully replaced by a single Apostille attestation, thereby streamlining the legalization process by drastically reduce administrative burdens on applicants.

Meanwhile, while the official implementation date is set for 9 July 2026, we are currently awaiting an official circular or operational guidance from the National Algerian Office for Industrial Property (I.N.A.P.I) detailing exactly how they plan to transition to accepting apostilled documents in practice. Further updates will be communicated in due course.

Sudan: Trademark Office Reverts to Strict Statutory Enforcement for Late Trademark Renewals

The Sudanese Trademark Office is now strictly enforcing Article 19(3) of the Trade Marks Act of 1969, putting an end to its long-standing administrative flexibility regarding trademark late renewals. Under this article, trademark owners are granted a strict six-month grace period following a registration expiration to renew their marks, subject to the prescribed late fee. Practically, however, if a trademark is not timely renewed within the grace period, the Trademark Office will not automatically remove it from the TM register immediately. In accordance with Rule 33(2)(a) of the Trade Marks, the Registrar will first issue an official notice to the TM owner registered address as their local agent, urging renewal and thereafter publish the non-renewal in the official gazette. If the owner fails to respond and renew the mark within two months of the publication of non-renewal, the Registrar may remove the mark from the register effective from the expiration date of the last registration as per Rule 34(1). However, if the renewal and additional prescribed late fees are paid thereafter, the Registrar maintains the discretionary authority to reinstate the mark and restore it to the records as a valid trademark.

In light of this sudden enforcement shift, we strongly recommend that brand owners immediately audit their Sudanese trademark portfolios. Any marks currently within their expiration window or approaching renewal must be processed promptly to prevent immediate and irreversible lapse.

Syria: Elimination of Corporate Document Requirements for TM matters in Syria

The Syrian Directorate of Industrial and Commercial Property Protection has officially eliminated the requirement to submit a simple copy of the certificate of incorporation, business license, commercial register extract or articles of incorporation for all intellectual property actions of trademarks, patents, designs, utility models, and copyrights.

This procedural update simplifies and accelerates the registration process across all IP categories.