BAGHDAD - In what is considered as a highly significant development in the protection of well-known trademarks in Iraq, Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP) announced in a Thursday press release that it has become the first firm to provide protection for one of the world's top 10 well-known trademarks.
The Trademark Office at the Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals issued a communiqué on August 9, 2006, stating that it will reject or cancel the registration and prohibit the use of any trademark that is liable to create confusion with the well-known trademark since it is a famous and well-reputed mark worldwide.
In line with the above, AGIP will provide the adequate protection for unregistered well-known trademarks in Iraq. It will also consider this transaction as filing procedure and will charge its clients the standard filing fees.
Once it becomes possible to register such well-known trademarks in Iraq, AGIP will provide its clients with relevant registration requirements and fees.
In addition, AGIP emphasized that it will absorb the official charges for changing the Power of Attorney in all Arab countries for its clients, who want to protect their well-known trademarks in Iraq. The UAE, Bahrain and the GCC Patent Office are an exception, where the fees charged are the official fees only.
After the completion of the necessary protection formalities under this newly established procedure, any litigation actions that may arise against any infringement on the clients' trademarks will be handled through AGIP’s sister company, Abu-Ghazaleh Legal.