Libya

Due to a backlog of trade mark applications at the Libyan Trade Mark Office, the Libyan Ministry of Economy has temporarily suspended the acceptance and processing of all new trade mark applications. This suspension will be in place from 5 March 2025 until 10 April 2025. Although the acceptance of new trade mark applications has […]

The Libya Trade Mark Office has issued Ministerial Decision No. 2 of 2025 which provides that all acceptance notices issued during the closure of the Trademark Office (from 2 April 2024 to 1 September 2024) will be withdrawn. In addition, all appeals of trade mark applications that were refused based on being identical or confusingly […]

On 27 November 2024, the Libya Trade Mark Office issued Decree 586 of 2024 introducing updates for the renewal of trade marks.  Upon the renewal of trade marks, proprietors are now required to submit a valuation and financial statement of their trade marks and will be subjected to increased official and renewal fees.

The Ministry of Economy in Libya recently issued a decree outlining updated requirements for trade mark renewals. Upon renewal, trade mark proprietors are now required to submit a financial statement acknowledging that the trade mark is an intangible asset, including its valuation. While clarity is being sought on the exact amount, the renewal fees have […]

By Ministerial Decree, and with effect from 2 September 2024, the Libyan Trade Marks Office is once against processing freshly filed trade mark applications. A formal requirement to keep in mind when filing trade mark applications in Libya is that the application should be filed together with a legalised power of attorney and a company […]

The Libyan Trade Mark Office (“TMO”) has been operating at limited capacity and has not been accepting new filings for some time. However, following a recently issued ministerial decree, the TMO will resume operations as of 2 September 2024. From this date, applicants will once again be able to file trade mark applications in Libya. […]

On 25 February 2024, the Libya Trade Mark Office issued Decision No. 335 of 2024 addressing trade mark cancellations, amongst other items. The decision mandates the cancellation of trade marks that have not been renewed within the renewal deadlines outlined in Article 1257 of Commercial Activity Law No. 23 of 2010. Below are the details […]

On 14 February 2024, the Ministry of Commerce and Trade released updated requirements for prosecuting trade marks following the Libya Trade Mark Office’s announcement of the new regulations in January 2024, as reported in our previous article here. The updated requirements for prosecuting trade marks include: Annual renewal of a legalised Power of Attorney, Attestation […]

On 1 February 2024, the Ministry of Economy and Trade launched the electronic advertising system for trade marks, marking a significant step in digitalising the registration and advertising processes. Mr Mohamed Al -Hawaji, the Minister of Economy and Trade, oversaw the launch. The Ministry aims to complete the electronic declaration process for trade mark applications […]

On 14 February 2024, the Libyan Office of the Ministry of Economy issued guidance number 694,3.2.5 updating the requirements relating to the filing of trade mark applications in this territory. This comes subsequent to the Ministry issuing Resolution No 26 of 2024 (Changes at the Libyan Trade Marks Office and the new Executive Regulations no. […]

Thursday, 1 February 2024, saw the Ministry of Economy and Trade introducing its electronic advertising system for trade marks. Senior officials from the Ministry, the technical team overseeing the system’s implementation, and numerous owners of intellectual property companies attended the event. The event commenced with the advertisements of over 6,000 local and foreign trade mark […]

In accordance with Article 11 of the Executive Regulations for Trademarks, the Libyan Trade Marks Office has released official decision No. (335) of 2024 regarding trade mark cancellations. In terms of this decision, any published trade mark application featured in the Official Gazette, which has not been renewed as prescribed by Article (1257) of Commercial […]

Libya’s latest trade mark regulations herald key changes for protecting and registering trade marks locally. Changes at the Libyan Trade Marks Office and the new Executive Regulations no. 26 for 2024 On 17 January 2024, the Libyan Ministry of Economy issued Resolution No. 26 of 2024 presenting new regulations for Chapter Ten of Law No. […]

As Africa’s largest intellectual property law firm, Adams & Adams (A&A) has continued to establish Associate Offices in strategic jurisdictions within the continent. With 23 Associate Office across Africa currently, the establishment of an office in Egypt in 2015, remains a significant milestone in the evolution of the firm. Our office in Egypt has provided […]

Libya’s trade mark office suspended the acceptance of trade mark applications and registrations of trade marks filed by foreign applicants on 1 November 2022, by way of an dministrative directive that was issued by the Office of the Ministry of Economy & Trading in Libya. On 28 May 2023, the Libyan Trade Marks office confirmed […]

An administrative directive has recently been issued by the Office of the Ministry of Economy & Trading in Libya, which states that the Libya Trademark Office will no longer be accepting trade mark applications filed by foreign applicants with effect from 1 November 2022. In the context of reorganizing the workflow of the Trademark Office, […]