The Jordanian Patent Law was amended with effect from December 1, 1999. The major changes are set out below.

1) Subject to the payment of annuity fees, the term of patents is extended from sixteen years from filing up to twenty years from filing.



2) Novelty provisions have been changed from assessing novelty on the basis of what has been disclosed in Jordan to assessment on a world-wide basis. Additionally, the law codifies a practice that has been adopted for some time by the Jordanian Patent Office of refusing applications if more than eighteen months have elapsed since the first filing of a corresponding application in another country.

The change in the law also permits the grant of patents for foodstuffs and pharmaceutical inventions. However, these provisions will only come into effect three years after Jordan becomes a member of the World Trade Organization. In the meantime provision is being made for securing a filing date for applications for this type of invention but no action will be taken until three years after WTO-accession. Additionally, it may be possible to obtain non-patent exclusive marketing rights during this period.