Nov 19, 2019 (Newsletter Issue 16/19)IP Office Will Not Accept Division or Merger Requests of Intl. RegistrationSyria has notified WIPO in accordance with Rules 27ter(2)(b) and 40(6) of the Common Regulations.
As a result, the Office of the Syrian Arab Republic will not present to the International Bureau of WIPO requests for the division of an international registration under Rule 27bis(1) nor requests for the merger of international registrations resulting from division under Rule 27ter(2)(a).
For further information, please check Information Notice No. 55/2019 hereSource: www.wipo.int Apr 11, 2018 (Newsletter Issue 7/18)Fifth Civil Court of First Instance to Handle IP CasesThe Syrian Ministry of Justice has recently announced that all IP related legal cases should be handled by the Fifth Civil Court of First Instance in lieu of the FIRST Commercial Court of First Instance.
This Ministerial decision was stipulated on February 24, 2018, in order to organise the back log and work load of legal cases being currently handled by courts in Syria. The Fifth Civil Court of First Instance will handle appeals against trademark registrar’s refusal decisions, oppositions against registration of trademarks, counter oppositions cases as well as infringement and cancellation actions.
Source: JAH & Co. IP, Qatar Oct 24, 2017 (Newsletter Issue 18/17)Official Publication Fees IncreasedOn September 28, 2017, the Minister of Internal Trade has issued a Ministerial Decree No. 2133 announcing an increase in the official publication fees for new trademarks and renewal applications, as well as publication for recordals of assignment, merger, and change of name and address.
The publication fee for accepted applications in the Official Gazette (for a list of goods of 10 words) will now be USD 200 instead of USD 70.
It should be noted that renewals with respect to trademarks filed or renewed before April 2007 will be published twice, the first time after acceptance and the second time after issuing the registration or renewal certificate. While renewals with respect to trademarks filed or renewed after April 2007, there will be only one publication after acceptance.
The decree became effective on October 15, 2017.
Source: JAH & Co. IP, Qatar
May 31, 2016 (Newsletter Issue 10/16)
Official Fees Increased
The Syrian Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection issued the Ministerial Decision No. 1171 of 2016 regarding the increase in official fees of trademarks and designs.
The decision was published in the Official Gazette, and entered into force on May 22, 2016.
According to this decision, the fees increase will be applied to search, publication and administrative fees of the application forms regarding the designs and trademarks new applications including all the recordals (such as assignment, changes…etc.), as well as retroactively to those applications, for which relevant first or second publication fees have not been paid yet.
Source: www.agip.com
Jan 13, 2015 (Newsletter Issue 1/15)Official Publication and Search Fees IncreasedThe Syrian Ministry of Interior Trade and Consumer Protection has issued Decision No. 1999 on November 13, 2014 stipulating an increase in the official publication fees and search fees of all Intellectual Property matters as of January 1, 2015.
Such an increase will be applied to publications fees of trademarks/designs applications and renewals as well as the recordals thereof.
The new official fee for publication (covering up to 10 items of the list of goods) is USD 150. Extra publication fee for each additional 10 words of the list of goods is USD 8.
Source: JAH & Co. IP, Qatar and www.agip.com Oct 14, 2014 (Newsletter Issue 15/14)New Procedures for Legalization of PoAThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate at the Syrian Arab Republic set new procedures for the legalization of Power of Attorney.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry now receives and accepts the Powers of Attorney with an earlier signing date up to one year backdate. Thereafter, the Ministry will proceed with forwarding the PoAs to the concerned security departments. The PoA procedures will be as follows:
The Foreign Ministry receives the original PoA giving receipt number and date, and then forwards this document to security departments for approval or rejection. If rejected, the original PoA is retained with the Ministry. If accepted, the PoA is further sent to the Interior Ministry, which in turn, will forward it to other security departments for clearance. Such procedures will take more than 4 months.
However, some powers of attorney do not mention the signing date; as such the one year will be calculated from legalization date by the Syrian consulate abroad.
Source: JAH & Co. IP, Qatar Jan 21, 2014 (Newsletter Issue 1/14)
New Procedures for Trademark Renewal
In virtue of the Ministerial Decree No. 2057 dated 9 December 2013, a new practice related to the trademark application renewal has been adopted by the Syrian Trademark Office. The new practice stipulates that to renew a trademark application covering several classes, each class will be included in one separated renewal application, and a separate fee for each single-class renewal application as well as fee of obtaining a separate legalized copy of Power of Attorney per application should be paid. Previously, one multi-class renewal application was filed covering several classes.
This practice is applied on the renewal applications filed as of 19 December 2013.
Source: www.agip.com
Oct 01, 2013 (Newsletter Issue 14/13)
Official TM Renewal Fees Amended
The Syrian Trademark Office (TMO) has announced that it applied a new practice related to fees paid for trademark renewal applications. The new practice requires paying publication fee per each class of the renewal application. Previously, this fee was paid for a multi-class renewal application.
This practice will be applied on trademarks which have been renewed and their renewal certificates have not yet been issued, as the Trademark Office (TMO) has suspended issuing the renewal certificates until the additional retroactive fees are paid to cover each class.
As from 2017, the first publication of renewal application will be ceased in Syria, and the renewal application will not be published for opposition.
Source: www.agip.com
Jul 01, 2013 (Newsletter Issue 10/13)Denunciation of Madrid AgreementThe Government of the Syrian Arab Republic has cancelled its association with Madrid Agreement for the international registration of marks. The denunciation became effective on 29 June 2013. Syria continues to be a party to the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement concerning the International Registration of Marks (“the Madrid Protocol”) and therefore remains a member of the Madrid Union.
As a result, as from 29 June 2013, the Syrian Arab Republic may no longer be designated under the Madrid Agreement and countries party only to this treaty may no longer be designated under the Madrid Agreement where the Office of the Syrian Arab Republic is either the Office of origin or that of the Contracting Party of the holder. The form corresponding to applications for international registrations governed exclusively by the Madrid Agreement (Form MM1) will be updated accordingly.
International marks registered up to 29 June 2013, containing a designation of the Syrian Arab Republic, which is a designation governed by the Madrid Agreement, and not refused within the period of one year provided for in Article 5 of the Madrid Agreement, will continue, throughout the period of international protection, to enjoy the same protection in the Syrian Arab Republic as if they had been deposited there directly.
For more information, please check here
Source: www.wipo.int Apr 15, 2013 (Newsletter Issue 5/13)TM office rejects IRs designating IsraelEven though Israel joined the Madrid Protocol in 2010, the Trademark Office of Syria is rejecting International Trademarks designating Israel alleging reasons of ‘public interest’.
As a matter of policy, Israel will not reject an international application merely because it co-designates countries with whom it does not have relations.
The Israeli Trademark Office suggests that in practical terms, while it is possible to file a national application separately, a more cost-effective way is not to designate Israel initially, but to add Israel only after the registration in Syria has been obtained.
Source: JAH & Co. IP, Qatar and JMB Davis Ben-David, Israel Sep 27, 2012 (Newsletter Issue 14/12)
New Ministry Name
The Syrian Ministry of Economy & Trade name has been changed to be Ministry of Economy & Trade to Ministry of Internal Trade & Consumer Protection.
Accordingly, the new ministry name will be reflected in all new registration certificates and/or official documents and notifications in respect of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Models, Patents, Utility model and Layout Design of Integrated Circuits which will be issued by the Industrial and Commercial Property Protection Directorate.
The new Director of Commercial & Industrial Property Protection is Mr. Sahfeeq Azzab.
Source: www.smas-ip.com and George M. Syriani, Syria
Jun 25, 2012 (Newsletter Issue 10/12)
Withdrawing from Madrid Agreement
Syria has cancelled its association with Madrid Agreement for the international registration of marks but will continue the association with Madrid Protocol for international registration according to the Presidential Decree No 179 of May 27, 2012.
Source: George M. Syriani, Syria
Nov 01, 2010 (Newsletter Issue 16/10)
Legalization of Power of Attorney Required
The Syrian Trademark Office announced that a legalized power of attorney up to the Sysrian consulate Embassy abroad must be submitted for new filings retroactively as of January 1st, 2010. This subsequently involves obtaining the Interior Ministry's approval and super-legalization on this document by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Legalization involves extra costs and can take up to 2 till 3 months.
Late filing of the PoA within the subsequent six-month grace period is surcharged with fine payment per month/application.
Source: www.ag-ip-news.com
May 05, 2010 (Newsletter Issue 10/10)
Official Publication Fees Increased
The Syrian Minister of Economy and Trade increased the official fees for publication, registration or renewal of trademark and design applications for applicant companies. The Ministerial Decree entered into force as of January 1, 2010.
The new official fee for publication, registration or renewal of any trademark application or renewal application/registration (covering 10 words in the list of goods) for applicant company has been doubled.
Similarly, the Ministerial Decree has lifted up publication or renewal fee for any design application/registration for Applicant Company.
Other publication fees remain untouched.
Source: www.ag-ip-news.com, JAH & Co. IP, Qatar
Oct 15, 2009 (Newsletter Issue 4/09)
Boycott Declaration No Longer Required
The Syrian Trademark Office has started as of September 2009 to waive boycott declaration request including applications filed under the new Intellectual Property Law No.8/2007 effective on April 12, 2007.
Accordingly, all foreign first-time applicants, who are not listed on the Boycott List, can file their applications in Syria without the need to provide the Boycott Declaration.
Prior to this decision, applications accepted by the Registrar were referred to the Boycott Office to clear the applicant’s company name. First-time applicants with no prior IP registrations or clearance were required to submit the Israel Boycott Declaration. Once such clearance was obtained, the application processed to registration.
Legal basis is the Decree of October 9th, 1946 last amended October 7th, 1996. A new law, under No. 8 of 2007, was enacted in Syria for distinctive marks, geographical indications and industrial drawings and designs. The law entered into force on April 12, 2007 and its Implementing Regulations were issued on April 15th, 2007.
The Syrian Arab Republic is a member of the Madrid Protocol.
Trademark protection is obtained by registration.
Nice classification, 11th edition
Registrable as a trademark are all distinctive and graphically representable signs, such as words, names, acronyms, letters, numbers, devices, combinations of colours, and any combination of the mentioned signs.
The following trademark types are registrable: trade marks, service marks, collective marks, certification marks, trade names and titles of establishment.
The application is filed at the Directorate of Commercial & Industrial Property Protection (for Ministry of Interior Trade and Consumer Protection).
Single-class system for trademark applications is adopted in Syria, i.e. each class relating to the same trademark should be covered by a separate application.
Foreign applicants need a local agent.
A legalized power of attorney is necessary up to the Syrian consulates abroad. One legalized PoA can be used for continuous applications by obtaining and filing certified copies thereof. Power of attorney can be filed belatedly within non-extendable six months from the filing date at no extra fees. Local legalization of the power of attorney passes through preparing a certified Arabic translation by a local certified translator, Ministry of Justice, Foreign Affairs Ministry and finally Ministry of Interior.
Foreign applicants do not necessarily need a domestic registration. A copy of the domestic trademark registration or any other foreign corresponding registration certificate reflecting the same class of goods and services should support the Syrian application. (The Registrar could request a certified copy thereof at a later stage).
The application process includes a formal examination, an examination of distinctiveness and a search for prior trademarks.
The Syrian Trademark Office has started as of September 2009 to waive boycott declaration request including applications filed under the new Intellectual Property Law No.8/2007 effective on April 12, 2007.
Accordingly, all foreign first-time applicants, who are not listed on the Boycott List, can file their applications in Syria without the need to provide the Boycott Declaration.
The processing time from first filing to registration is approx. 8 to 10 months.
First office action could take place within two months from the filing date.
After registration, the trademark is published in the Syrian Trademark Office Gazette.
National:The opposition period is 90 days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette; non-extendable.
Details regarding the
Opposition Period against designation of IR Mark are available in our publication on this topic
here
A trademark registration is valid for 10 years from date of filing, renewable for periods of 10 years.
Practical details on grace periods for trademark renewals are available in our publication
herePractical details on trademark use requirements are available in our publication
hereThe official fee for the filing stage of the first trademark is SYP 693,000 and SYP 693,000 for each additional trademark. The official fee for the publication stage per trademark is SYP 252,000 and SYP 1,575,000 for registration.
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Practical details on trademark licensing are available in our publication
hereOnline you can see a limited part of information about this country.
More in-depth details are available for the following aspects:
General Trademark Regulations
Trademark Use Requirements
Grace Period for Trademark Renewal
Trademark Licensing
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Feb 08, 2024
JAH Intellectual Property, Doha, Qatar
