Law No. 82 of 2002 issuing the protection of intellectual property rights Law.

This Law sets forth the protection of intellectual property rights. It is composed of 4 books including 206 articles. It provides for patents and utility models including layout designs of integrated circuits including other undisclosed information (Book 1). Trademarks, trade data, and geographical indications, industrial designs and models (Book 2). Copyrights (Book 3). Book 4 is concerned with plant protection for plant varieties. It provides for the establishment of the Plant Variety Protection office whish will be concerned in receiving applications for plant protection, examining and issuing certificates granting protection in accordance with the rules and requirements mentioned in this Book. To grant protection to a plant variety it has to be new, distinct, homogeneous, and consistent and it has to have its own name. Article 193 of this Book states that the term of the protection granted is 25 years for Trees and grapes, and 20 years for the rest. Article 195 states the cases when protection is not granted. Article 200 establishes that the breeder shall disclose the genetic source relied on to develop the new plant variety. The office of Protection of Plant Varieties has the right to use and exploit the protected plants without the consent of the breeder. According to this Law, if the protected plant has a harmful effect on the environment, the safety of the biological diversity, the agricultural sector, people’s health, or animal’s health the breeder will be restricted from breeding this plant. Any violations to the provisions of this Law will be penalized with a fine of 20 thousand pounds up to 100 thousand pounds.