Ministry of economy, customs authority sign accord on IPR

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce and General Authority of Customs(GAC) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the fieldof trademarks and protection of intellectual property rights (IPR). The MoU aims to spread the culture of protecting intellectual propertyrights, develop customs services electronically, and contribute tosupporting the national economy by combating illegal commercialpractices.The MoU was signed by Assistant Undersecretary for Commercial Affairs atthe Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Yahya bin Saeed al-Nuaimi, andGAC Assistant Chairman Ahmed bin Issa al-Muhannadi, at the authority’sheadquarters.The GAC implements measures at ports to protect intellectual propertyrights from piracy in compliance with international conventions andrelated legislation, in addition to taking the required steps to combatcommercial fraud and counterfeiting in co-ordination with specialisedentities.On the other hand, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC)specialises in applying the legislation related to the registration andprotection of intellectual property rights in the country, includingtrademarks, data, trade names, industrial designs and geographicalindications. The Ministry also has a database of protected intellectualproperty rights.Al-Nuaimi said the MoU complements the national role the Ministry ofEconomy and Commerce and the GAC plays a key role in supporting theeconomy and devises all the methods and mechanisms that help itsprotection and development.Al-Nuaimi added that the MoU is in keeping with the ministry’scontinuous efforts to develop the protection of intellectual rights andpromoting it and achieving the desired benefit. And the MoU isconsidered a continuation to the ministry’s efforts to take requiredmeasures to combat commercial fraud and counterfeiting in co-ordinationwith specialised entities.Al-Nuaimi reaffirmed the ministry’s keenness to follow global standardsin the field of intellectual property rights protection and providing acomprehensive technical electronic system of high quality and enabletrademark owners.Al-Muhannadi said the MoU comes as part of the GAC and the ministry’sawareness to the need to co-operate in the areas related to intellectualproperty rights protection, and in full belief that joint work will bemore effective.Al-Muhannadi added the GAC is keen to take all the measures at portscustoms to protect intellectual property rights from piracy according toglobal conventions and related legislation.It is also keen to take required measures to fight commercial fraud and counterfeit in co-ordination with specialised entities.The MoU includes achieving an electronic link between the ministry andthe authority and enable to GAC’s employees to access the registeredtrademarks in aim to verify the trademarks of the imported goods whetherthey are registered and whether or not they are protected.The MoU also enables the ministry’s employees to overlook the seizedgoods’ cases that involve imitation or forgery of registered andprotected trademarks in addition to pre-coordination with regards tomeetings, international and regional seminars related to the topic ofthe MoU.According to the MoU, the minister will periodically extend the GACelectronically with the data of registered trademarks, it will alsoprovide the authority’s employees with training programs in the field ofprotection of intellectual property rights as well as exchangeinformation on the registered trademarks and the methods of identifyingtheir authenticity.The GAC works on providing the best electronic services related tocustom clearance and the protection of intellectual property rights forthe different sectors in Qatar as it is an economic and security entitythat aims to support the national and global economy.The GAC also facilitates international trade operations and encouragesinvestment through easing the customs procedures and reduces commercialfraud, which requires the electronic link between the different relatedgovernmental entities in the country to activate the electronic servicesin the best way possible.