The IPO based in Sanaa, Yemen has introduced a major update to its trade mark application policy, as outlined in Ministerial Decision No. 52/2024. The change eliminates the previous cap of 10 goods or services per application, allowing applicants to designate an unlimited number of items within a single filing. This reform reflects global trends to simplify and modernize trade mark registration processes.

While the prior restriction has been removed, any goods or services listed beyond the first 10 will be subject to additional publication fees, calculated at a rate of 5% of the standard publication fee for each additional item. This approach balances the flexibility of an unlimited number of items with the administrative costs of processing and publishing extended lists.

While Yemen has two IPOs, one operating in Sanaa and the other in Aden, each with its own jurisdiction and procedures, both offices have recently adopted the 12th edition of the Nice Classification of Goods and Services and are operating under a single-class protection principle. 

By way of background, starting 22 October 2024, both offices raised the number of goods/services covered in a single trade mark application from 4 goods/services to 10. The Aden IPO still adheres to this policy, while the Sanaa IPO has now removed this prior 10 item restriction.

On 7 October 2024, the IPO in Sanaa introduced an online platform where users can access a range of trade mark services, including the filing and recordal of amendments, waivers, objections and responses. Deadlines for all procedures handled through the platform are now automatically calculated by the system, providing greater accuracy and reducing administrative burden. The Official Trade Mark Gazette is now exclusively available digitally on this platform.