Doha, Qatar: The world marks World Intellectual Property Day on April 26 under the theme "IP and Sport: Ready, Set, Innovate," highlighting sport as a dynamic arena for innovation, from smart equipment and performance technologies to branding, broadcasting rights, and sports design.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) underscored the vital role of IP protection in supporting creators and advancing knowledge-based economies through global systems for rights registration, technology transfer, and knowledge exchange.
In Qatar, the IP ecosystem has seen notable progress in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, with strengthened legislation and expanded digital services enhancing the business environment and attracting investment.
Since joining WIPO in 1976, Qatar has signed more than 13 international treaties.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry recently launched five new electronic services covering copyright registration, certification requests, record extracts, amendments, and ownership transfers.
Director of the IP Protection Department at the Ministry Abdulbasit Taleb Al Ajji told QNA that, the Ministry is implementing a package of initiatives.
Most notably, the preparation of the national intellectual property and innovation strategy, aimed at developing an integrated system to support innovation, enhance the business and investment environment, and strengthen cooperation with international organizations, particularly WIPO, to deliver training and capacity-building programs in innovation and technology transfer.
He added that efforts include supporting Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISC), enhancing patent search services, and improving regulatory frameworks in line with international best practices, alongside awareness initiatives targeting students and broader community engagement.
According to Al Ajji, trademark applications reached 155,990, patent filings 1,049, and copyright applications 2,159. Between 2025 and Q1 2026, authorities reviewed 233 trademark oppositions, handled 86 IP-related cases, and conducted 4,945 inspections resulting in 155 violations.
He noted ongoing legal updates, including new regulations for industrial designs and revisions to copyright and patent laws in cooperation with WIPO.
