The Board of Grievances has issued a landmark decision removing the prohibition against the registration of representations of living creatures as trademarks. The decision is based on the ground that failure to protect such representations as trademarks damages the reputation of Saudi Arabia and the interests of consumers and trademark owners. The Board of Grievances will not consider any appeals against decisions refusing the registration of such trademarks, provided the representations are not contrary to public morality. Previously, applications for marks consisting of representations of living creatures were opposed by the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice as being against Islamic laws.

This decision serves to broaden trademark protection in Saudi Arabia and is in line with the requirements for Saudi Arabia’s accession to the WTO and the TRIPs agreement.