Protection for layout-designs of integrated circuits is to be provided by a Law on the Protection of Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits which at present is also in a draft form. The draft Law implements Articles 35 – 38 of the TRIPS Agreement.
Article 8 of the draft Law provides that the term of protection is 10 years counted from the date of filing an application for registration in Bahrain or from the date of the first commercial exploitation wherever in the world it occurs whichever expires earlier, but in all cases the term of protection shall lapse 15 years after the creation of the layout design .
The draft Law provides for a system of registration of designs. Article 12 to 15 of the draft Law provides for a system of granting compulsory licences which is in line with Article 31(a) to (k) of the TRIPS Agreement. The system is identical to that provided for patents outlined in the response to question 18 except that Article 31(l) of the TRIPS Agreement is excluded with respect to layout- designs as permitted under Article 37.2 of the TRIPS Agreement.
Article 17 of the draft Law provides for criminal sanctions against infringements to the rights of the design owner.
The draft Law does not require registration of the design in order to enjoy the protection provided for in the Law, except that provisional measures and criminal sanctions are only available to registered designs.
