Saudi Arabia Advances To 13th Place In Global Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Index For 2025

Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in the Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Index, climbing 14 places to secure the 13th position globally. This achievement is highlighted in the 2025 World Competitiveness Yearbook, a prominent global competitiveness benchmark. The National Competitiveness Center monitors this index in collaboration with relevant government entities, and it is published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) through its World Competitiveness Center.

The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) has played a pivotal role in this advancement by enhancing the enforcement ecosystem for intellectual property rights (IPR). The Kingdom's ranking improved from 27th in 2024 to 13th out of 69 countries in the current edition. This progress underscores Saudi Arabia's commitment to strengthening IPR enforcement both domestically and internationally.

Several national initiatives have been instrumental in this achievement. The Respect Council, the Standing Enforcement Committee, and the Intellectual Property Respect Officer are key governance models that foster coordination among stakeholders. These initiatives have significantly contributed to improving IPR enforcement effectiveness across institutional and judicial levels.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia has established a specialized public prosecution unit dedicated to handling IPR cases. This development has bolstered the litigation system and expedited judicial procedures, ensuring more efficient handling of intellectual property disputes.

A comprehensive approach involving awareness campaigns has been crucial in driving this progress. These campaigns cover both field and digital enforcement, promoting transparency and engagement with stakeholders. Regular meetings with rights holders further enhance coordination between government bodies and the private sector.

The World Competitiveness Yearbook serves as an international benchmark for assessing global economic competitiveness. It evaluates countries based on four main pillars: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure. With over 300 sub-indicators, it provides a detailed analysis of each country's competitive standing.

This remarkable improvement reflects Saudi Arabia's dedication to advancing its intellectual property rights framework. By fostering collaboration among various entities and implementing effective governance models, the Kingdom continues to strengthen its position on the global stage.

With inputs from SPA