Nepal: Trademark File Reconstruction Notice
Kindly note that the Department of Industry (DoI) in Nepal has published on December 1, 2025, a notice concerning all pending and published trademark applications in light of the recent destruction of physical files caused by the nationwide incidents of unrest on September 9, 2025. The notice highlights the following two major points:
- All applicants with pending or incomplete applications and documents are required to resubmit their trademark applications together with all supporting documents within ninety (90) days from the date of publication of this notice making March 1, 2026 as the final submission deadline. Any application that has remained pending for more than seven (7) years and is not resubmitted within the above 90-day period shall be automatically cancelled.
- Applicants whose trademarks have been published in the Industrial Property Bulletin without opposition must submit the requisite documents for issuance and collection of the registration certificate within six (6) months from the date of publication of this notice making June 1, 2026 as the final submission deadline. Failure to submit the documentation required for certificate issuance within this six-month period will result in the cancellation of the application.
Should you need any assistance in re-constructing any of your clients’ pending trademark applications, please let us know in return as we can assist in taking the required actions timely.
Saudi-WIPO Agreement Boosts IP Transparency
The Saudi Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding on November 3, 2025, to cooperate on the publication of Saudi judicial rulings concerning intellectual property (IP) cases. This agreement is a decisive action to enhance the Kingdom’s IP enforcement framework, providing a critical new layer of transparency for rights holders and practitioners globally. The initiative’s primary goal is to make key IP case outcomes publicly accessible, thereby facilitating judicial knowledge exchange and aligning Saudi legal infrastructure with international standards, which is vital for realizing the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
This MoJ-WIPO collaboration offers greater confidence and strategic clarity to IP owners as this move signals Saudi Arabia’s firm commitment to being a secure and modern jurisdiction for investment and innovation.
Anticipated Increase in TÜRKPATENT Official Fees Effective January 2026
We wish to bring to your immediate attention the customary and significant annual adjustment to the official fees levied by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT), which is highly expected to take effect on January, 2026. As a standard procedural matter, TÜRKPATENT routinely revises and increases its official fees for all Intellectual Property matters, including Patents, Utility Models, Trademarks, and Designs, at the start of every calendar year. For your information, these increases are often tied to the revaluation rate determined for the new year in Türkiye. To allow you to effectively manage your IP budget and minimize unnecessary expenditure, we strongly recommend that you complete any pending actions that require the payment of an official fee before the anticipated increase date of January, 2026.
Indonesian Patent Implementation Declaration:
Kindly note that the Indonesian Patent Act, specifically Amendment No. 65 of 2024 Article 20A has introduced a mandatory annual Patent Implementation Declaration, often referred to as a Statement of Working. This requirement is now in effect for all active patents in Indonesia, including patents granted prior to the 2024 legislative amendment. Currently, the patent holders are obligated to submit this declaration annually to the Patents Office. It is strongly recommended that the Statement of Working for all active patents be filed before the end of the calendar year of introduction (e.g., December 31, 2025). Non-compliance with this annual filing requirement may lead to significant legal risks for the patent holder, including the potential invalidation of the patent rights. The filing procedure requires the preparation of a Working Statement Form, which details how the patent is being implemented or “worked” in Indonesia. At the current stage, a scanned copy of the locally executed form is considered sufficient for official submission to the Patents Office.