Bahrain (BH)
Trademark Protection in Bahrain is governed by Law No. 11 of 2006, issued on May 31, 2006.
Ministerial Decision No. 40 of 2005 raising the Official Trademark Fees in Bahrain was issued on December 26th, 2005, was published in the Official Gazette No 2720 on January 4th, 2006, and became effective on the same date.
The 9th edition of the international classification of goods and services is followed in Bahrain.
Trademark protection is obtained by registration. However, a trademark application can be opposed successfully upon producing sufficient proof of prior use of the mark in Bahrain and elsewhere in the world.
Registrable as a trademark are all distinctive and graphically representable signs, such as words, names, acronyms, letters, numbers, devices, holograms, colours, combinations or shades of colours, three-dimensional forms, the three-dimensional form of a good or its packaging and any combination of the mentioned signs. Protection unter the new law has been expanded to include registration of sounds, smells, and shapes of goods, packaging, colour, combination and photographic elements.
The following trademark types are registrable: trade marks, service marks, collective marks, certification marks, trade names and titles of establishment. Also, well-known trademarks enjoy protection under the provisions of the Paris Convention even if they are not registered in Bahrain.
The application is filed at the Industrial Property Office.
A separate application has to be filed for each class.
Foreign applicants need a local agent.
A simply signed power of attorney sealed with the official stamp of the applicant is required.
Foreign applicants need a domestic registration. In absense of a home registration, registration in any other countries or certified copy of the extract from the Commercial Register of the applicant is sufficient.
The application process includes a formal examination, an examination of distinctiveness and a search for prior trademarks. Signs not deemed distinctive in the examination can be registered if distinctiveness has been acquired by use or if there is a registration in any country following a substantial examination system.
The processing time from first filing to registration is approx. 20 to 24 months.
Prior to registration, the trademark application is published in the official gazette.
The opposition period is 60 days from publication date of the application.
A trademark registration is valid for 10 years from date of application.
The registration is renewable for periods of 10 years. The renewal fees should be paid within the last year of the protection. The trademark law provides for a 3-month grace period for late renewal of a trademark. If a trademark is not renewed, the law does not allow third parties to register the trademark for 3 years from the date of cancellation.
If the trademark has not been used within 5 years from registration, it may be subject to cancellation by any interested party and before the court.
The official fee is approx. EUR 225.00 per class.
| Search type |
First class |
Add. class |
| Word Mark Search (availability) |
210,00 € |
150,00 € |
| Word Mark Search (identical) |
190,00 € |
120,00 € |
| Extended Search (word mark, company name, domain) |
490,00 € |
150,00 € |
| Device Mark Search (availability) |
240,00 € |
190,00 € |
| Trademark Owner Search |
|
|
| Company Name Search |
340,00 € |
|
| Domain Name Search (extended) |
72,00 € |
|
| i-Search (word mark availability + legal opinion) |
240,00 € |
220,00 € |
The Prices above are S.M.D. Markeur Search Fees