Qatar – Trademarks

From Filing to Registration: 24 months

Convention Priority: Yes

Classification of Goods/Service: International 7th Edition

Multiple Class Applications: N/A

Procedure: Once the application is filed, it is queued to be examined as to the trademark registrability. Accepted applications by the Registrar are published in the Official Gazette. There is 4 months period for filing an opposition by any interested party. In absence of an opposition, the published trademark is registered, and the certificate of registration is issued.

Registration Validity: 10 years, renewable for other consecutive periods, each of which is 10 years.

Renewal Time: Application for Renewal should be submitted during the last year of the protection period. There is 6 months grace-period for late renewal upon payment of lateness fine.

Trade/Service mark Use: Not pre-requisite for registration. However, a trademark is vulnerable for cancellation by any interested party, who may prove that the trademark was not actually used for five consecutive years.

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Requirements:

Trademark/Service Mark Applications

1. Power of Attorney, stamped with the company’s seal, notarized and legalized up to the Consulate of Qatar.
2. Certified Certificate of Incorporation or Extract from the Commercial Register,
3. 10 Prints of the trademark.
4. Certified copy of the priority document, if priority is to be claimed.

Renewal of Trademark/Service Mark Registrations

1. Power of Attorney, stamped with the company’s seal, notarized and legalized up to the Consulate of Qatar.
2. Simple Copy of the Certificate of Registration or the particular of the trademark.

Assignment Applications

1. Power of Attorney by the Assignee, duly stamped with the company’s seal, notarized and legalized up to the Consulate of Qatar.
2. Deed of Assignment, signed by both parties, notarized and legalized up to the Consulate of Qatar.
3. Simple copy of the Certificate of Incorporation or extract from the commercial register of the Assignee,

Change of Name/Address Applications

1. Power of Attorney in the new name/address, duly stamped with the company’s seal, notarized and legalized up to the Consulate of Qatar.
2. Certificate of change of name /address, duly legalized up to the Consulate of Qatar.

Registered User/License Agreement Applications

1. Power of Attorney by the Licensee, duly stamped with the company’s seal, notarized and legalized up to the Consulate of Qatar.
2. License Agreement by the parties, notarized and legalized up to the Consulate of Qatar.
3. Simple copy of the Certificate of Incorporation or Extract of the entry of the registered user company in the commercial register.

Qatar – Patents

Patent Protection Period: 20 years

Annuity Payments: Not Applicable yet.

From Filing to Grant: No Patent has been granted yet.

Convention Priority: Yes

Novelty: Absolute

Filing Language: Specifications, claims, abstract, drawings and related documents should be translated into Arabic if they are in English and into English and Arabic if they are in a third language.

Procedure: Once the patent application is filed, it is queued to be examined by Qatar Patent Office with respect to form, novelty, inventiveness, industrial applicability and unity. Once the application is accepted; it will be registered. After the grant the patent will be published in the official Gazette.

Note: Examination has not begun yet.

PCT: Qatar is contracting state of PCT

Time Limit for Entering PCT National Phase: 30 months

Annuity payment for PCT National Phase Applications: Not Applicable yet.

Requirements of Patent National Phase

1. Complete specifications in English
2. 1 set of formal drawings
3. Complete specifications in Arabic
4. Power of attorney, legalized up to Qatar Consulate

Qatar – Designs

Industrial Designs Law No. 9 of 2002 was issued on June 8, 2002 and published in the Official Gazette in Qatar, but the Implementing Regulations have not yet been issued.

As there are no statutory design laws in force in Qatar, the only available means for protecting designs is publishing cautionary notices in Arabic and English in local newspapers.

Cautionary notices define the owner’s interest in industrial property, announce the ownership thereto, and alert the public against any possible infringement. Such publication of notices could be of considerable assistance in case of litigation.

There is no standing regulation as to when a cautionary notice should be republished. A cautionary notice is not as effective as a registration and is not deposited with any government department. Consequently, republication of cautionary notices at reasonable intervals acts as a reminder to the public and helps ward off eventual infringers.