Trademark Registration in Qatar

In Qatar, you must register your trademark to obtain enforceable rights, because it is a “first-to-file” jurisdiction. Only in very exceptional situations can an unregistered mark be protected.
To secure protection, trademarks must be filed before the **Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the State of Qatar (MEC). Also note that in Qatar trademarks can only be registered in the name of a company — it is not possible to register in the name of an individual. In addition, trademark applications cannot cover alcoholic beverages or pork products.

To register a trademark in Qatar, you will generally need:

• Original Power of Attorney, signed, notarized, and legalized before the Consulate of Qatar, as well as a copy of the Commercial Certificate of the applicant with a translation into the official language.
• The name or logo you want to register
• The applicant’s details

Your iGERENT consultant will confirm the exact requirements for your case and guide you through each step.

The average time for a straightforward trademark application to proceed to registration in Qatar is about 12 months. This is an estimated processing time based on current practice and may vary considerably depending on objections, office actions, or oppositions.

Once the trademark is successfully registered in Qatar:

• It is valid for 10 years from the application date.
• It can be renewed indefinitely for additional 10-year periods.
• Renewal may be requested:
  • Within 12 months before the expiry date, and
  • Up to the last day of the month of expiration.
• After that, there is a grace period of 6 months during which the mark can still be renewed on payment of late renewal fees.

After registration, you hold the exclusive right to use the mark in Qatar for the goods/services covered, subject to the requirement of use (see below).

Yes. If a third party files a trademark in Qatar that is identical or confusingly similar to yours, you can oppose the application:

• Opposition actions may be filed within four (4) months from the date the application is published in the trademark gazette.

The success of an opposition will depend on factors such as similarity of the marks, similarity of goods/services, and the evidence you can provide to show a likelihood of confusion or prior rights.

Yes. Although use is not required for filing or initial registration, a registered mark must not go unused for long periods:

• If the mark is not used for five (5) consecutive years, it becomes vulnerable to cancellation actions for non-use.
• To avoid this risk, the trademark should be used on a commercial scale in Qatar.