MUSCAT: The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion has reported a 32 per cent jump in applications for the registration of national and international trademarks, patents, copyrights and other intellectual property rights during the first half of this year.
According to figures released by the National Intellectual Property Office at the Ministry, applications totaled 5,779 during the January – June 2021 period versus 4,370 applications registered during the same period in 2020. National and international trademarks accounted for the vast majority of applications at 5445 requests, followed by national and international applications for patents (260), and copyright (78).
Following Ministerial Resolution 206/2018, registration fees for students and researchers were slashed by 90 per cent, while those from small and medium enterprises were halved – a move designed to encourage people to register their innovations, discoveries and creative works.
In addition, patent examiners in the National Patent Office assist applicants in the drafting of their patent requests and advising them on the importance of registration and protection. Copyright, on the other hand, is a legal term describing the rights granted to creators in relation to their literary and artistic works.
It covers a wide range of works from books, music, oil paintings, sculptures and films to computer programmes, databases, advertisements, geographical maps and technical drawings.
The importance of protecting intellectual property lies in allowing rights holders, whether the creator or the owner of the patent, trademark or copyright, to benefit from their work and investment and the establishment of local industries based on these rights, encouraging and attracting foreign investments, providing the necessary protection, and limiting the spread of counterfeit works. — ONA
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