​Targeting owners of retail outlets to raise awareness about law No. (9) of 2002 on Trademarks, Trade Indications, Trade Names, Geographical Indications, and Industrial Designs and Templates, which bans the use of symbols and public titles in the stateMinistry of Economy and Commerce carries out inspection and awareness campaigns on intellectual property rights
 
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce has carried out inspection and awareness campaigns to raise awareness among shop owners about article No. (8) and paragraph No. (3) of law No. (9) of 2002 on Trademarks, Trade Indications, Trade Names, Geographical Indications, and Industrial Designs and Templates. The law bans the use of symbols and public titles in the state, including Qatar’s national flag as well as the pictures and names of members of the ruling family and similar figures.
 
The campaigns targeted shops at Landmark Mall, Royal Plaza, Night Market, Tawar Mall, Villaggio, Hyatt Plaza, Al Rawnaq Trading Center and Zone Center. These awareness campaigns shed light on a number of intellectual property laws, outlining details and penalties to help avoid violations of intellectual property rights. The Ministry also sent text messages to urge shop owners to avoid committing such violations.
 
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce has already issued a circular on the commercial use of symbols and public titles in the State of Qatar. The Ministry has recently uncovered the unregulated use of the image of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as well as symbols and public titles by some traders, suppliers and malls on commercial goods. (Such as Tamim Al Majd, the Arabic for “Glorious Tamim”.)
 
The Ministry explained that the use of a logo or trademark is restricted to lawful uses. The logo and symbol subject of the trademark should be held in high regard as a public symbol and slogan that should not be disrespected or undermined. It is therefore forbidden to use the logo and slogan in a disrespectful manner. The Ministry urged the public to respect the symbol and slogan as a public emblem that should not be disrespected or undermined.
 
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce often carries out awareness campaigns to promote a culture of intellectual property protection and raise awareness about its benefits and the key services it provides in this field. The Ministry also sheds light on key initiatives to achieve the highest international standards when it comes to the protection of intellectual property rights, and provides an integrated high quality electronic system to support and enable authors, owners of trademarks, inventors and innovators to preserve their rights and protect their work and inventions.
 
The Ministry has also launched services relating to patent registration, the filing of copyright and related rights, and the electronic registration of trademarks through the Ministry’s website, thus providing services to investors as part of efforts to offer all services related to intellectual property rights electronically.