Dear Esteemed Associates and Clients,
We are committed to keeping you informed about important developments across the jurisdictions we serve. Here’s a noteworthy update regarding patent annuity payments in Qatar.
Qatar: Changes to Patent Annuities Payment Policy
The Intellectual Property Rights Protection Department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar has announced a key update concerning patent annuity payments.
All outstanding annuities for patent applications, including those currently pending, are now due for payment. This change overrides the previous policy set forth in Circular No. 2/2024, which allowed for the deferral of annuity fees beyond the third year for pending applications without a decision.
Under the new guidelines, applicants can choose to pay their annuity fees on schedule or defer payment until a decision is made on their patent applications. This flexibility aims to ease the burden on applicants managing their intellectual property.
Please be aware that no refunds will be issued for any incorrect or duplicate annuity payments made prior to this update.
We advise all our clients to take a moment to review their patent applications to ensure compliance with this new policy. If you have any questions or require further guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to qatar@alyafi-ip.com
Thank you for your continued partnership and trust in us.
