Decision to cut registration fee for patents welcomed

MUSCAT: A number of officials, innovators and students have praised the Ministerial Decision issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on reduction of the service fees for applications of patents and industrial designs of students of schools, colleges, universities and researchers at the research centres and small enterprises.

They reaffirmed that the decision encourages innovators and facilitates registration of their applications. It will also boost the number of applications of patents in all fields which further improve the Sultanate’s economy.

Increase in applications

Engineer Khalid Al Hinai, Head of Industrial Control Department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that the reduction of fees for the interested parties would contribute to the increase of applications for patents to be submitted to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

He also pointed to that the reduction which applies for five years from date of registration of such applications with the Ministry would provide the beneficiaries with the opportunity to spend in other fields which support and develop innovations.

Nasser bin Khalifa Al Harassi, innovation patent specialist at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that the decision No. 206/2018 on reduction of service fees for intellectual property for students, researchers and small enterprises represented one of the fields of support the Ministry extended for innovative students.