Doha, August 23, 2024 – Qatar has officially become a member of the Madrid System, a global mechanism for the registration of trademarks, as of August 3, 2024. This significant step enhances Qatar’s ability to protect intellectual property rights on an international scale and streamlines the process for businesses and individuals seeking trademark protection in multiple countries.

The Madrid System, administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), allows trademark owners to file a single application and pay one set of fees to apply for protection in up to 130 countries. With Qatar’s accession, trademark owners now have the opportunity to expand their trademark protection to include Qatar by using the eMadrid online platform.

For detailed information on Qatar’s membership and its implications, please refer to Information Notice No. 10/2024, available on the WIPO website.

Businesses and trademark holders who wish to extend their protection to Qatar can easily do so through the eMadrid platform by selecting the “Expand protection” option.

This development marks a significant milestone for Qatar, further aligning the country with global intellectual property standards and offering greater protection to brand owners worldwide.

Part of ATB Legal’s Intellectual Property practice.

Kartik Shetty

Kartik Shetty was a Junior Associate at ATB Legal, where he worked on civil, corporate and commercial matters and wrote on family and commercial law. He holds a law degree from Shivaji University and a postgraduate degree from Pune University.