QATAR

A member of WIPO since 1976, Qatar has historically placed great importance to Intellectual Property rights. In 2017, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce launched the online trademark registration service marking their gradual implementation of an online IP system. Qatar adopts the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks under the Nice Agreement.









Trademark Information

Type of Trademarks:

Marks for goods, Service marks, Production Marks, Associated marks, Series marks, Certification marks, Collective marks, Defensive marks, Quality control Marks, Geographical indication Marks.

Type of Applicant:

Company, Individual or Jointly.

Registrable Elements:

Character, Chinese characters, Three-dimensional shape, Figure Sign, claiming colour, Claiming priority or Combination of colours, Sound, Smell.

Term of Protection:

10 Years from filing date and renewable for 10 years within 6 months before expiry or 6 months after expiry with surcharge.

Priority Deadline:

6 months from the priority application filing date.

Classification:

11th Edition – Single class application, use of class headings, Designation of retail services and Addition to class heading (Class 33, alcoholic goods in Class 32, pork meat in Class 29 cannot be registered).

Search:

Applicable for Word marks, Chinese Characters.

Examination:

Formal, Substantive, Relative grounds and Absolute grounds.

Recordation Applicability:

Applications, Registrations or Termination.

Time Frames (Up To):

Search: 5 days.

Registration: 9 months.

-          Filing to Examination decision - 90 days

-          Examination decision to Publication 2 month

-          Publication Opposition Period - 60 days

-          Registration to Certificate Issuance - 2 month

Renewals: 8 months.

Recordation: 12 months.

Appeal: 6 months.

Opposition: 36 months.

Declaration of Use:

Not applicable.

Consent and Disclaimers:

Acceptable to overcome refusal.

Cancellation Action:

Applicable for Unlawful registration / Non-use for a period of 5 years from the  Registration date before the Administrative Authorities and Courts.

Infringement Measures:

Prevention of importation of infringing goods by Customs, Raid, Injunction, Damages, Fine and Imprisonment.

Filing Requirements:

• Power of Attorney duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar. 
• Simple copy of the certificate of incorporation or Extract from the Commercial Register.
• Certified copy of the priority document, if priority is claimed. 
(All the above may be submitted within 90 days from the filing date)

Renewal Requirements:

• Power of Attorney duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar. (Required at the time of filing in case we are not the agent of record).

Assignment Requirements:

• Power of attorney signed by the assignee duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar.
• Deed of assignment signed by both parties duly legalized as above.

License Requirements:

• Power of attorney signed by the licensee duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar.
• License agreement signed by both parties duly legalized as above. 

Merger / Mortgage Requirements:

• Power of Attorney duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar.
• Certificate of merger / mortgage duly legalized as above.

Name / Address Requirements:

• Power of Attorney in the new name/address duly up to Consulate General of Qatar.  
• A certificate issued by the competent authorities evidencing the changes or an affidavit proving the changes duly legalized as above.

Appeal / Opposition Requirements:

• Power of Attorney duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar. (Required at the time of filing)
• Any document to show prior use in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Brief history of the applicant’s company including list of registrations along with copies of the same in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• The date of first use and registration worldwide and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Extracts from bills/invoices, etc., from the year of inception of the company. 
• Sales turnover from inception up to date in the country of origin and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Any additional helpful documents (ex. Distribution agreements, local advertisements, local newspapers, magazines, etc.) evidencing the use and existence of the mark worldwide and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries.

Patent Information

Type of Patent:

Patent, Utility patent, Integrated circuits, Plant variety.

Type of Applicant:

Company, Individual or Jointly.

Validity:

Patents 20 years from the international filing date, Utility patent 20 years from the international filing date and Integrated circuits 10  years commencing from the date when the application is registered with and deposited at the Bureau, or from the date of the design's first commercial use anywhere in the world.

Annuities:

Paid annually on the anniversary of the international filing date with 6 months surcharge grace period.

PCT Based Filing:

Applicable within 30 months fromthe International filing date.

Revival:

Not Applicable.

Search:

Not Applicable.

Examination:

Formality, novelty, inventiveness, industrial applicability, unity and compliance.

Recordation Applicability:

Applications, Registrations, Partial recordation or Termination.

Time Frames (Up To):

Search: 0 days.

Registration: 36 months

-          Filing to Preliminary Examination decision 6 months

-          Substantive Examination Payment to Decision 4 months

-          Publication Opposition Period  2 months

-          Grant to Issuance of Letters 24 months

Recordation: 4 months.

Appeal: 3 months.

Opposition: 2 months.

Cancellation Action:

Not Applicable.

Infringement Measures:

No provision.

Filing Requirements:

• Power of Attorney duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar. 
• Deed of assignment signed by both parties duly legalized as above, if the applicant is not the inventor. (Not Required for PCT)
• Certified copy of the priority document, if claiming priority.
(All the above may be submitted within 90 days from the filing date)

Assignment Requirements:

• Power of attorney signed by the assignee duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar.
• Deed of assignment signed by both parties duly legalized as above.

License Requirements:

• Power of attorney signed by the licensee duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar.
• License agreement signed by both parties duly legalized as above. 

Merger / Mortgage Requirements:

• Power of Attorney duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar.
• Certificate of merger / mortgage duly legalized as above.

Name / Address Requirements:

• Power of Attorney in the new name/address duly up to Consulate General of Qatar.  
• A certificate issued by the competent authorities evidencing the changes or an affidavit proving the changes duly legalized as above.

Appeal / Opposition Requirements:

• Power of Attorney duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar. (Required at the time of filing)
• Any document to show prior use in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Brief history of the applicant’s company including list of registrations along with copies of the same in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• The date of first use and registration worldwide and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Extracts from bills/invoices, etc., from the year of inception of the company. 
• Sales turnover from inception up to date in the country of origin and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Any additional helpful documents (ex. Distribution agreements, local advertisements, local newspapers, magazines, etc.) evidencing the use and existence of the mark worldwide and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries.

Industrial Design Information

Qatar issued Law no. 10 of 2020 on the Protection of Industrial Designs on April 19, 2020, and the implementing regulations are expected to be issued in the near future. Until then, protection could be sought out by publishing cautionary notices at regular intervals in local Qatari newspapers. Such notices could have legal value when submitted in court, in the event of infringement, thereby claiming ownership of the design and alerting third parties against further infringement.

Copy Right Information

Works Protected:

Literary works, Reference works, Computer software and databases, Artistic works, Architectural Works, Geographical Maps and Technical Drawings, Engineering Plans and layouts.

Type of Applicant:

Company, Individual or Jointly.

Related Rights:

Performers, Producers of sound recordings and Broadcasting Organizations.

Term of Protection:

50 years after the author’s death.

Time Frames (Up To):

Registration: 1 month.

Infringement Measures:

 Provisions, Warning, imprisonment, money compensation, confiscation of all copies, fine, closing the violating establishment.

Filing Requirements:

• Power of Attorney duly legalized up to Consulate General of Qatar. (Required at the time of filing)
• Deed of assignment duly legalized as above, if the applicant is not the author.

Address :

Al Shoumoukh Tower B, 10th floor, Suite 1045, C Ring Road, Al Sad, Doha, Qatar.

E-mail :

[email protected]

IP Treaties

Paris Convention Rome Convention
PCT - Patent Cooperation Treaty Berne Convention
WIPO Convention WIPO Copyright Treaty
WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty Marrakesh VIP Treaty
Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances