Significant Increase in Complaints: In 2023, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) received over 2,680 complaints, marking a 50% increase from the previous year, with notable rises in trademark (73%) and copyright (30%) complaints.
Intensive Enforcement Actions: SAIP conducted over 1,000 inspections across 42 cities, processed 422 suspicious shipments, and blocked more than 3,400 non-compliant websites, seizing over 41 million infringing products and removing over 16,300 content items.
Legal and Digital Focus: The authority issued over 270 rulings with fines totaling around SAR 2.2 million and intensified efforts in the digital space, addressing violations on 4,545 reported websites, predominantly related to unauthorized movie and TV show downloads.
Riyadh, August 20, 2024 — The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) has unveiled its 2023 report on the enforcement of intellectual property rights, highlighting significant strides in the fight against infringement and underscoring a substantial increase in related complaints. According to the report, SAIP received over 2,680 complaints concerning intellectual property violations, including issues related to both copyrights and trademarks. This represents a notable 50% increase in total complaints compared to the previous year.
The surge in complaints reflects a growing awareness among the public and businesses regarding the importance of adhering to intellectual property laws. Trademark-related complaints saw a dramatic 73% increase, while copyright complaints rose by 30%. This heightened vigilance is attributed to the enhanced efforts of SAIP in educating the public and enforcing intellectual property laws.
In response to these complaints, SAIP undertook more than 1,000 inspection tours across 42 cities and governorates throughout the Kingdom. These inspections, triggered by complaints from copyright holders, aimed to identify and address violations proactively. The authority's enforcement strategies include a mystery shopper program, which has proven crucial in monitoring compliance with intellectual property rights. The program involved over 4,700 visits to more than 70 malls in 17 cities and governorates and over 6,000 visits to websites and online stores. This extensive monitoring effort enables SAIP to gather critical data on commercial establishments and online platforms, facilitating more effective enforcement actions.
In addition to physical inspections, SAIP's enforcement team processed 422 suspicious shipments. The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority reported that 60% of these shipments were found to be in violation of intellectual property laws. As a result, more than 3.4 million products that did not comply with intellectual property regulations were denied clearance at various border crossings, preventing their entry into the market.
The digital realm has been another significant focus for SAIP. The authority intensified its efforts to combat intellectual property violations in digital content and e-commerce sectors. The report highlights that SAIP received reports about 4,545 websites, with the majority (81%) involving sites that offered illegal downloads of movies and TV shows. In response, SAIP took substantial actions, including confiscating over 41 million products infringing on intellectual property rights, removing more than 16,300 infringing content items, and blocking over 3,400 non-compliant websites.
To ensure comprehensive compliance, SAIP conducted field and electronic surveys involving 13,000 establishments. The data collected from these surveys have been instrumental in identifying and addressing violations effectively.
In the legal arena, the commercial courts and the Committee for Resolving Intellectual Property Disputes issued over 270 rulings against intellectual property violators in 2023. The total fines imposed amounted to approximately SAR 2.2 million, reflecting the seriousness with which the judicial system is treating these offenses.
Overall, SAIP's 2023 report underscores its commitment to protecting intellectual property rights through vigilant enforcement, extensive inspections, and robust legal actions. The increase in complaints and the proactive measures taken by the authority highlight a growing culture of respect for intellectual property within the Kingdom, setting a precedent for future enforcement efforts.