The Government of Qatar deposited its instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol – the governing Treaty of the Madrid System – with WIPO Director General, Daren Tang on May 3, 2024. Qatar is the 115th Member of the Madrid System. The Madrid Protocol will enter into force in Qatar on August 3, 2024.
This accession further strengthens the Madrid System as a practical and efficient solution for protecting trademarks worldwide. National trademark holders in four – Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates – out of the six countries that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council can now use the Madrid System to secure cross-border protection of their brands.
What does this mean for you?
Starting August 3, 2024…
▪ If you are a brand owner in Qatar and already have – or have applied for – a national trademark registration through the Intellectual Property Department of Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, you will be able to use the Madrid System to seek protection of your brand in up to 130 countries simultaneously, by filing just one international application, in one language (English, French or Spanish) and paying a single set of fees, in one currency (Swiss francs);
▪ If you are a trademark holder in any other Madrid System Member you will be able to seek overseas protection of your trademark in Qatar, and;
▪ If you are already the holder of an international trademark registration, you will be able to expand its geographical scope to include Qatar.
Information Resource: Qatar Joins the Madrid System (wipo.int)