Shops fined for illegal use of Tamim Al Majd logo

DOHA: The inspection campaign held by representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce resulted in spotting and issuing notice for 22 violations due to the unauthorised use of “Tamim Al Majd” logo on t-shirts, gold necklaces, perfumes, cups, stationery and wooden boxes.

The shops violated the circular concerning the commercial use of symbols and public figures in the country. The shops also violated one of the articles of the law on trademark, commercial data, trade names, geographical indications and designs and production samples which prohibits the registration of a trademark if it is of a public figure in the country. The shops also violated one of the articles of the protection of copyright and related rights which prohibits copying or drawing an individual that holds an official post and exploiting it commercially.

The inspections are part of the Ministry’s keenness to monitor adherence to intellectual property rights, systems and laws, and sticking to the circular on the commercial use of public figures of the country.

The Ministry confirmed it will be firm against all those negligent and not complying with the intellectual property protection laws. Any person who contravenes the laws and ministerial decisions will be referred to the competent authorities to take the procedures stipulated by law, the Ministry added.

The Ministry had issued Circular No. 5 of 2017 on the commercial use of public figures, after noting the unregulated use of some of the suppliers and consumer complexes of the image of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and public figures of the country, such as using the logo of “Tamim Al Majd” on commercial products.

The Ministry called on everyone to respect the logo as a symbol and a general slogan which should not be disrespected or underestimated.

ضبطت وزارة الاقتصاد والتجارة، محالاً تجارية استخدمت -بطريقة غير مصرّح بها- شعار «تميم المجد» على عدة منتجات متنوعة، وحرّرت الوزارة بحق تلك المحال 22 مخالفة، نظراً لمخالفتها التعميم رقم «5» لسنة 2017، بشأن الاستخدام التجاري للرموز والأسماء العامة في الدولة، واستخدم الشعار على «قمصان رياضية، وسلاسل ذهبية، وعطور، وأكواب، وأدوات مكتبية، وصناديق خشبية».

وأكدت الوزارة أنها ستكون حازمة في وجه كل من يتهاون في القيام بالتزاماته المنصوص عليها بقوانين حماية الملكية الفكرية، وستحيل كل من يخالف القوانين والقرارات الوزارية إلى الجهات المختصة، لاتخاذ الإجراءات المنصوص عليها قانوناً.