During the initial implementation stage, the Office will adopt a dual approach. For certain trademark applications, certificates will be issued solely in electronic form. At the same time, some registrations will continue to be issued in paper form while the digital system is gradually phased in.

These provisions came into effect in early July 2025.

For any information, please contact qatar@qumsieh.com.

Moreover, such fees must now be paid within 3 months of EGIPA notification, sooner than the previous 6‑month window counted from filing. If unpaid by the deadline, the application will be suspended until full payment is made, including late fees.

The decision was published in the Official Gazette on 17 June 2025 and became effective on 18 June 2025.

For more information, please contact egypt@qumsieh.com.

Our representatives will be attending the following conferences:

AIPPI World Congress
12 – 16 September 2025
Yokohama, Japan

MARQUES Annual Conference
16 – 19 September 2025
The Hague, Netherlands

INTA TMAP Meeting
28 – 30 September 2025
Berlin, Germany

PTMG Autumn Conference
8 – 10 October 2025
Budapest, Hungary

APAA 20th General Assembly & Council Meetings
6 – 10 November 2025
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

INTA Leadership Meeting
18 – 21 November 2025
Hollywood, Florida, USA

We welcome the opportunity to meet with our colleagues and clients. If you would like to arrange a meeting, please contact us at events@qumsieh.com.

With this adoption, all new trademark applications filed in Bahrain will now be examined in accordance with the updated classification structure. This move aligns Bahrain’s trademark practice with the latest international standards and enhances consistency with other jurisdictions that have already transitioned to the 12th Edition.

Our team is monitoring the implementation closely and is available to assist clients in reviewing their trademark portfolios or preparing new applications in accordance with the revised classification.

For more information, please contact bahrain@qumsieh.com.

Previously, trademark filings submitted by individuals or entities of Turkish origin were rejected outright by the TMO due to the boycott of Turkey, reflecting broader political sensitivities. This restriction posed a significant barrier for Turkish applicants seeking to secure intellectual property rights in Syria and led to the effective exclusion of Turkish brands from formal protection within the country.

Under the new policy, Turkish applicants are now permitted to refile their previously rejected trademark applications. The TMO has confirmed that these applications will be processed in the same manner as other foreign filings, subject only to the payment of the official filing fees. Once submitted, applications will be examined under its standard procedures, and acceptance will be granted unless objections arise on grounds unrelated to the applicant’s nationality, such as descriptiveness, likelihood of confusion, or non-distinctiveness.

This change is expected to facilitate greater access to the Syrian IP system for Turkish applicants and may serve as an encouraging sign of improved administrative neutrality within the country’s intellectual property framework. It also underscores the evolving role of IP offices in ensuring equal access to protection irrespective of geopolitical factors.

If you have any questions, please contact syria@qumsieh.com.

This step reflects the growing collaboration between Saudi Arabia and the United States in the area of intellectual property (IP) as it aims to improve and mainstream IP services to support business development in both countries.

Thus, the USPTO becomes the 7th ISA designated by SAIP, which includes the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the European Patent Office (EPO), the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), the Egyptian Patent Office (EGPO), the Russian Federal Administration of Intellectual Property (ROSPATENT), and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO).

For more information, please contact saudi-arabia@qumsieh.com.

We look forward to connecting with industry professionals, clients, and partners to discuss how we can support and enhance your intellectual property (IP) portfolios in the Middle East. If you would like to learn more about our services, schedule a meeting with our team by emailing us at events@qumsieh.com.

Our Hospitality Suite:
Location: San Diego Convention Center (SDCC)
Room: 16B (NJQ & Associates – Hospitality Suite)
Level: Mezzanine

Previously, Iraq followed a national classification system, where each class was further divided into sub-classes. This system included Classes 1 to 42, while Classes 43, 44, and 45 were omitted. Given Iraq’s multi-class filing system, official fees were historically calculated based on the number of classes within an application.

IMPACT ON PREVIOUSLY REGISTERED OR RENEWED TRADEMARKS
Trademark renewals for registrations filed under the old classification must be accompanied by a request to convert the classes and list of goods/services to align with the new classification system, and then the renewal can take place.

IMPACT ON PENDING APPLICATIONS UNDER THE OLD SYSTEM
It is mandatory to file a request to convert the classes and list of goods/services to align with the new classification system, and then the TMO will continue the registration process.

RECORDALS OF ASSIGNMENT, CHANGE, LICENSE, AND MERGER ON PREVIOUSLY REGISTERED TRADEMARKS
It is mandatory to file a request to convert the classes and list of goods/services to align with the new classification system, and then the TMO will process the recordal application.

NEW TRADEMARK APPLICATIONS
The Department has approved a predefined list of goods/services and services under the 11th Edition of the Nice Classification. Official fees will now be calculated based on the number of items listed in the application rather than by class.

For more information, please contact iraq@qumsieh.com.

Previously, a trademark application could consist of a maximum number of 10 items in the list of goods and services. The new decree allows more items for an additional charge of 5% of the official publication fee for each additional item.

This decree went into effect in January 2025.

For more information, please contact yemen@qumsieh.com.

Applicants may now request a one-month extension for specific deadlines, subject to a fee of $14. This applies to the following transactions:

• Late submission of required documents;
• Replying to an Examiner’s office action refusal decision;
• Submitting an opposition against a published trademark application;
• Filing a response to an opposition;
• Filing a response to a cancellation action;
• Submitting evidence in an opposition case, and
• Submitting evidence in a cancellation action case.

The same fee and rules also apply to requests for suspending trademark application procedures due to opposition initiated by third parties.

Applicants may submit additional extension requests as long as they are filed before the extended deadline.

For further information, please contact palestine@qumsieh.com.