The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) of Qatar has officially commenced accepting applications for the registration of Industrial Designs and Models, marking a major milestone in the country’s intellectual property development and aligning Qatar’s IP regime with international standards.
This launch implements the provisions of Law No. 10 of 2020 on Industrial Designs and its Implementing Regulations No. 129 of 2024, formally establishing the procedures for design protection in Qatar. The new system allows applicants to protect the visual and aesthetic aspects of products such as shape, configuration, patterns, ornamentation, and appearance provided they are novel and possess distinctive characteristics.
Under the new regulations, applicants may:
- Claim a six-month priority period based on earlier foreign filings;
- Include up to 100 drawings in a single application, provided all designs fall under the same Locarno Classification;
- Expect substantive examination within 30 days from filing; and
- Respond to any Office actions within 90 days.
The opposition period is set at 60 days from publication, and registrations are granted for five years, renewable twice for a total protection term of 15 years.
Applications must be submitted using the official forms and accompanied by:
- A legalized Power of Attorney;
- Identification documents for both the applicant and designer;
- Clear graphical representations of the design;
- The relevant Locarno class indication;
- A brief description of the design’s intended use; and
- Arabic translations of all non-Arabic documents.
With the new formal filing process in place, the Ministry confirmed that Cautionary Notices are no longer necessary. Applicants who previously relied on such publications are encouraged to proceed with formal filings to secure their design rights under the newly established system.
This development underscores Qatar’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its intellectual property framework and fostering innovation and creativity across industrial and design sectors.
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