INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN QATAR

Law on Trademarks, Commercial Indications, Trade Names, Geographical Indications, and Industrial Designs, Law No. 9 of 2002 - is the primary law governing the mechanism of trademark registration and protection in Qatar.
For getting a trademark registered in Qatar, an application has to be filed with the Industrial Property Office, which administers the entire trademark registration process.
It follows a 'first-to-file’ system.
Qatar follows the 11th edition of Nice Classification. Multi-class trademark applications are not acceptable.
The third parties can file opposition actions against a trademark application within four (04) months following its publication date in the official gazette.
A trademark registration is valid for ten (10) years from the date of filing the application, which is further renewable indefinitely for consecutive periods of ten (10) years each. The renewal fees of a trademark registration can be paid during the last twelve (12) months of the current protection period.
There is a grace period of six (06) months within which a late renewal application can be filed; however, such a late renewal application is subject to the payment of additional fees.
The term for cancellation of a registered trademark based on non-use is five (05) years from the date of registration.

Qatar is a member of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.
The Qatar Patent Law (No. 30 of 2006) implemented in 2006 - deals with the mechanism of patent protection in Qatar.
For seeking patent protection in Qatar, an application has to be filed with the Qatar Patent Office of Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), which administers the entire process of patent grant.
In Qatar, an invention that satisfies the conditions of originality, novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability, subjects to patentability. Process patent and product patent are the two types of patents that can be protected.
The types of patent applications that can be filed include Non-Convention Application and Convention Application.
Any interested third party can oppose the said application within sixty (60) days from its date of publication. The Patent Office will study the opposition and issue its decision within thirty (30) days from filing date of the opposition; otherwise the opposition will be considered rejected implicitly.
The period of protection of a patent is twenty (20) years. Annuities should be settled prior to the anniversary of the filing date of a national application or a PCT international application until the termination of the patent protection duration. For example, if the patent was filed on 30th January, then the annuity should be settled every year before 30th January.

The State of Qatar adopted Law No. 10 of 2020 for the Protection of Industrial Designs on April 19, 2020. This new law annulled the industrial design law dated 2002.
An application for the registration of an industrial design needs to be submitted by the creator or the holder of the rights therein to the Office of Protection of Industrial Property at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry or ‘the Office’ as per the conditions and rules stipulated in the implementing regulations.
The types of industrial design applications that can be filed in Qatar include Non-Convention Application and Convention Application.
Utility model protection isn't provided under industrial design protection in the nation.
If a design registration is accepted, it will proceed to publication. Third parties will then have sixty (60) days from publication of an accepted design to file an opposition.
Industrial design protection is valid for five (05) years from the filing date and can be renewed for two (02) additional periods of five (05) years each, subject to renewal fees. The maximum protection period for registered designs in Qatar is fifteen (15) years.
The new Law on the protection of industrial designs mentions a grace period of six (06) months for the late renewal of a registered industrial design.

Qatar is a signatory to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
Law No. 7 of 2002 on the Protection of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights is the basic legislation governing copyright protection in Qatar.
In Qatar, copyright comes into existence as soon as the work is created. No formality is required to be done for obtaining copyright protection. However, one can avail some facilities for having the work registered in ‘the Office’ for the protection of the copyright and neighbouring rights under the Department of the Commercial Affairs. A certificate is issued by the Registrar of Copyright that makes prima-facie evidence of ownership of copyright.
The standard copyright protection term lasts for the lifetime of the author plus fifty (50) years following his death. However, the duration of copyright protection varies depending on the type of work.
In the case of audiovisual or collective works, the rights are protected for fifty (50) years from the date on which the work was first published. For works that are not published, the term of protection runs from the first day of the calendar year after the completion date of the work.