The State Cabinet yesterday approved a draft law on the protection of industrial designs and another draft of its executive regulations. Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting at Emiri Diwan, yesterday.
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce prepared the draft law in the context of the development and modernisation of law No. (9) of 2002 on trademarks, commercial data, trade names, geographical indications, and industrial designs and models.
As per the draft law, an owner of the registered industrial design has the right to prevent others from making, selling or importing products taking the shape of the design or model or including it. The duration of the protection of the industrial design or model is five years, renewable for two similar terms.
The project includes provisions relating to the Protection of Industrial Property Office's issuance of a periodical journal called "Industrial Property" to publish the data required to be announced in accordance with the provisions of this law. A registration book must be prepared in the Office to record all industrial designs and models, owners data, notifications assignment of property, beneficiaries of the licences, licences renewal, cancellation and all other related issues, so as determined by the executive regulations of the law.
The Cabinet also approved a draft law amending some provisions of the Advocacy Law No. (23) of 2006, and decided to refer it to the Advisory Council. The draft law includes the amendment of several articles in the Advocacy Law, and the addition of some articles to the law.
Moreover, the Cabinet also approved a draft law amending the periods of enrolment in the commercial register and the trade licences record and to facilitate the performance of the services stipulated in certain laws.
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce prepared the draft law in the context of facilitating requirements for the investors and the business community. The draft law stipulates to amend the periods enrolment in the commercial register and trade licences record so it might be more than one year, according to the ceiling determined by the Council of Ministers upon the proposal of the Minister of Economy and Commerce, according to the nature and type of the entry in the Register and the type of the authorised shop.
Private companies can be licensed to perform all or some services set forth in the Law No (25) of 2005 on the commercial register as amended by Law No. (20) of 2014, Law No. (5) of 2015 on commercial and industrial outlets, similar public facilities and street peddlers and Commercial Companies Law promulgated by Law No. (11) of 2015.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet approved a maritime transport agreement between the Government of Qatar and the Government of the Republic of Cuba. It also approved a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of health and medical science between Qatar and the Government of the Republic of Moldova.
The Cabinet also reviewed a number of topics and took the appropriate decisions. This includes a letter by the Minister of Development Planning and Statistics on the study of the effects of the concentration of some nationalities in some professions, and the ministry's report on adjusting the population growth rate and the mechanisms of implementation.
The cabinet also reviewed a letter by the Minister of Economy and Trade on the outcome of the 6th session of the Qatari-Turkish Joint Commission on Economic and Technical Cooperation. Also a letter by HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce on the outcome of the 20th International Business Forum (IBF) and the Turkish "Musiad" expo which was held on the sidelines of the Forum, was discussed.
