1. Innovation - Lab National Institute for Standardization And Industrial Property Patenting procedure Overview

2. The Protection of Industrial Property The protection of industrial property is as ancient as the Paris Convention dated 1883, of which Tunisia is a member. The creation of the world Trade Organization (WTO) and the signature of the Convention in January 1995. Tunisia reviewed its legislation in order to make it in compliance with the international legislation.

3. Industrial Property In fact, 4 laws have been adopted: ☞ Law N° 2000 – 84 dealing with the protection of patents; ☞ Law N° 2001-20 dealing with the protection of integrated circuits; ☞ Law N° 2001-21 dealing with the protection of industrial designs; ☞ Law N° 2001-36 dealing with the protection of trademarks as amended by the law n° 2007-50 of July 23rd 2007 All these laws have been examined by the TRIPS Council in 2001.

4. THE PROTECTION THROUGH PATENTS What is a patent ? A patent is a title granted to the owner with a temporally exclusive right to exploit his invention What is an invention ? Any invention, which is a product or a manufacturing process can be protected by a patent The patent is granted for new inventions involving an inventive activity that may be applied in manufacturing

5. CONDITIONS OF PATENTABILITY  Novelty  Inventive activity  Industrial application

6. NOVELTY An invention is new when it’s not included in the prior-art The prior-art is made up of all what is publicly accessible before the filing date of a patent application or the date of priority duly claimed for this application through an oral or written description or any other means.

7. INVENTIVE ACTIVITY An invention shall be considered as involving an inventive activity if it is not evident for a person with an average knowledge of the technical field at the filing date of the patent application

8. Industrial application An invention shall be industrially applicable. This requirement is fulfilled when the invention can be manufactured or used in any type of industry or in agriculture

9. Shall not considered inventions: - Ornamental creations, - Discoveries, -Schemes, rules and methods intended for use: in the performance of purely mental acts, in games, in the field of economic activity, in connection with software

10. The patent shall not be granted for : - Varieties of plants, animals or substantially biological processes to obtain new plants or animals except for biomedical processes and products obtained through these processes - Inventions whose publication or implementation is conflicting with accepted standards of public order morality or with public health or safety of the environment

11. Patenting procedure Finling receipt Formel examination irregularity Irregularity notice Response of applicant Rejection substantive examination publication opposition Granting irregularity 1st Irregularity notice Response of applicant examination regularization 2nd Irregularity notice Response of applicant examination regularization Rejection yes No yes No yes No yes No

12. TISC

13. WHY Technology and Innovation Support Center WHY ? To enable R&D institutions, universities and industry to use databases containing science, technology and patent information.

14. WHAT Technology and Innovation Support Center WHAT ?  Technology searches : patent searches. non-patent searches (scientific and technical literature).

15. The TISC is located at INNORPI: a focal point to a network of peripheral TISCs. Technical infrastructure of PCs with internet connection (WIFI), printers... Personnel to staff the TISC : * Two full-time staff members responsible for day-to-day management and operation of the center, including the explanation to visitors of the main patent and non-patent search services available on the internet and the basic functions of those services; * 3 patent examiners ( engineers) : half a day per week Establishment of TISC

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