Egypt Trademark Grievance Committees Go Digital: EGIPA Introduces Remote Hearings and Electronic Document Submission

The Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority (EGIPA) has digitised the committees that decide grievances filed against decisions of its General Department of Trademarks and Industrial Designs. Under the new system, grievance committees will convene remotely, applicants and their representatives can present arguments online, and supporting documents can be filed electronically, while the option to appear in person remains available.

For brand owners facing a trademark or design refusal in Egypt, and for the IP agents who represent them, this is one of the most practical procedural changes the Egyptian IP system has seen in recent years. Below, we explain what has changed, how the new hearings work, the filing timelines EGIPA’s Legal Department now recommends, and what rights holders should do to prepare.

What Has EGIPA Announced?

EGIPA has announced that the committees responsible for deciding grievances against decisions of the General Department of Trademarks and Industrial Designs will now operate digitally. The committees, in all their legally prescribed formations, will hold their sessions remotely, and parties may submit documents and evidence electronically.

The Authority has positioned the change as part of its wider digital transformation plan. It implements the National Digital Transformation Strategy and Egypt Vision 2030, and delivers on the first objective of Egypt’s National Intellectual Property Strategy, which focuses on digital transformation and the delivery of IP services through modern technology.

What Are EGIPA’s Grievance Committees?

In Egyptian trademark and design practice, a grievance is the administrative challenge an applicant brings against an unfavourable decision of the Trademarks and Industrial Designs department. Typical grounds include the refusal of an application, the imposition of conditions or amendments as a precondition to acceptance, and decisions arising from opposition proceedings.

Egypt’s substantive trademark and design rules are set out in the Law on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights, Law No. 82 of 2002. EGIPA was established to bring Egypt’s previously separate IP offices under a single national authority, and the trademarks and designs function now sits within it. Grievance committees act as the first-tier review body before matters proceed, where necessary, to the administrative courts of the State Council. Because committees are chaired by State Council judges, their proceedings carry a quasi-judicial character, and how arguments and evidence are presented before them matters.

Who Sits on the Committees and Who Can Attend?

Each session is attended by three groups:

• Committee chairs, who are judges of the State Council (Egypt’s administrative judiciary).
• Appointed university experts, who bring technical and academic expertise to the committee.
• Relevant EGIPA personnel, including Legal Department staff who manage the case file.

Grievance applicants, or their legal representatives, are invited to join remotely when their matter is called. They can present oral arguments and written submissions to the committee in the same way they would in a physical hearing.

How Do Remote Grievance Hearings Work?

Under the new arrangements, committees meet online rather than requiring all participants to be physically present at EGIPA’s premises. Applicants receive a remote invitation for the scheduled slot of their grievance and join the session to make their case.

Importantly, the reform is additive rather than mandatory. Parties who prefer to appear in person may still do so, in line with the relevant committee’s schedule. This hybrid model gives representatives flexibility to choose in-person attendance for complex, evidence-heavy matters while using remote hearings for routine grievances.

How Should Documents Be Submitted Under the New System?

Supporting documents and evidence may now be submitted electronically through the link designated for each committee. Three qualifications apply

• Originals may still be requested. Where necessary, the committee can ask to inspect original documents, so originals should be kept ready.
• Statutory deposits remain physical. Documents that the law requires to be deposited must be submitted to the competent department on the date of the committee session.
• Committee-specific links. Each committee has its own designated submission link, so filings must be routed to the correct committee.

What Is the Two-Working-Day Filing Rule?

Alongside the formal announcement, EGIPA’s Legal Department has issued practical guidance. IP agents are advised to provide all supporting documents and written submissions at least two working days before the hearing. Friday and Saturday, Egypt’s official weekly holidays, do not count.

The purpose is administrative: the Legal Department compiles all materials into a single consolidated file for committee members, and the chair needs enough time to review the submissions, particularly while the new hearing arrangements bed in. In practice, Egypt’s working week runs Sunday to Thursday, so the deadline works out as follows:

• Hearing on Tuesday: file no later than Sunday.
• Hearing on Sunday: file no later than the preceding Wednesday.
• Hearing on Monday: file no later than the preceding Thursday.

Official public holidays will push these deadlines earlier, so agents should build in an additional buffer around holiday periods.

How Long Are Hearing Recordings Kept?

All committee sessions will be recorded. Recordings are retained on EGIPA’s servers for up to 90 days, or until the grievance is decided or a court judgment is issued on its subject matter, whichever is later.

This creates a verifiable record of what was argued and presented. For rights holders who may need to take a grievance further to the administrative courts, the existence of a recording is a meaningful safeguard, and representatives should note the retention window when planning any onward challenge.

Why Does This Matter for Brand Owners and Foreign Applicants?

• Lower cost and less travel. Representatives no longer need to attend every hearing in person, reducing time and expense, particularly for matters handled from outside Cairo or abroad.
• Faster, more predictable scheduling. Remote sessions should make it easier for committees to manage their caseload and for parties to attend scheduled slots.
• Better-organised case files. The consolidated electronic file means committee members review the same complete set of submissions.
• Greater transparency. Recorded sessions provide an objective record of proceedings.
• Stronger case preparation is now essential. Because the chair reviews the file in advance, the quality and completeness of the written submission carries more weight than ever.

Foreign brand owners should note that trademark matters in Egypt are handled through a locally registered IP agent, and powers of attorney and supporting documents generally require proper authentication. Digital hearings do not change these underlying formalities, so documents should still be prepared well ahead of any grievance deadline.

Practical Checklist: Preparing for a Digital Grievance Hearing in Egypt

• Confirm the hearing date and identify the correct committee and its designated submission link.
• Calculate the filing deadline: at least two working days before the hearing, excluding Friday, Saturday and public holidays.
• Prepare a complete written submission, as the committee chair will review the file before the session.
• Compile all supporting evidence in clear, well-labelled electronic form, with translations where required.
• Keep original documents available in case the committee requests inspection.
• Identify any documents that must be physically deposited and arrange delivery to the competent department on the session date.
• Decide whether to attend remotely or in person, and test connectivity and technical setup in advance for remote hearings.

Get in Touch
For further information or assistance with intellectual property matters in Egypt, feel free to contact us. info@legacypartners.global