Libya has introduced notable updates to its trade mark renewal fees and requirements under Decree 586 of 2024, issued on 27 November 2024, impacting both foreign and domestic companies. These changes include an increase in official fees as well as additional procedural complexities, creating challenges for trade mark owners operating in the country.

Increased Fees for Foreign Entities

For foreign trade mark holders, the renewal fee has been set at USD 2,000 per year (*).

New Requirements for National Companies

For Libyan companies, renewal fees are now calculated as 5% of the trade mark’s assessed value, as reflected in the company’s latest audited balance sheet.

Withdrawal of Notices and Appeals Reassessment

In addition to fee adjustments, a critical decision has been made regarding trade mark applications filed in 2024:

• All acceptance notices issued during the Trade Mark Office closure period (2 April 2024 to 1 September 2024) have been withdrawn.
• Appeals for trade mark applications refused due to being identical or confusingly similar to marks filed during the closure period have now been accepted.

We advise our clients with affected filings in Libya to get in touch with our renewals department to obtain tailored guidance on their portfolios.

(*) It is important to monitor updates on the situation as we understand various stakeholders are involved.