Since the establishment of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP), this agency and the country have only followed the 10th Edition of Nice Classifications which did not include the most recent updates and additions of new goods and services. However, nowadays, to achieve international standards and to establish a harmonious relationship with other great countries in the world, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property has adopted the 11th Edition of the Nice Classification.
Follow the spirit of goodwill with WIPO’s Goods and Services Manager, The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property is currently updating the online system and undertaking several changes to enhance the online and e-services concerning trademarks and other IP services.
One of the most significant improvements of Saudi Arabia is that they have adopted the 11th Edition of the Nice Classification, which is required for new filings of trademark applications.
Accepting goods and services classed with the Nice Classification is part of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to align its practices with international standards. This change will help them to attract foreign investment in Saudi Arabia and support Saudi Arabia’s businesses, innovators, and inventors to compete with the best in the world.
In addition to the new development in the Nice System, for any new filings in Saudi Arabia, the alphabetical list should be consulted to ascertain/choose the exact classification of each product or service in line with the client’s goods and services.
Unlike other registries, SAIP considers following and practicing the exact order of the list in extremely high regard. This means that they refuse to accept any additional goods/services not identified in either the class heading or the alphabetical list.
Lastly, it should be noted that some terms are not included/updated online even though they are included in the recent edition. For example, terms related to alcoholic beverages will not be allowed to be chosen from the list and registered.
You can see a list of Saudi Arabia IP firms here.