New Regulations for Class 5 Trademark Applications in Yemen

The General Directorate for Intellectual Property Protection, part of Aden’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, has introduced new procedural requirements for trademark applications in Class 5 (pharmaceuticals and medical supplies).

When registering a trademark in this category, the applicant must submit a formal declaration confirming the following:

• Trademark registration is only used to protect priority rights
• This trademark will not be used in the Yemeni market
• The statement is subject to an official fee of 30,000 Yemeni riyals and may be drafted by the department's legal officer.

Importantly, this declaration is a formality only and does not authorize the commercial use of pharmaceutical or medical products on the Yemeni market. In fact, the use of such products still requires a separate license from the Supreme Agency for Medicines and Medical Supplies.

The new requirement replaces a policy that came into effect a few months ago, under which applicants were required to provide a license from the apex body to proceed with Class 5 trademark applications.