Trademark registration in the Syrian Arab Republic. Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in Western Asia. Syria is a unitary republic consisting of 14 governorates and is the only country that politically espouses Ba’athism. The economy is highly regulated by the government, which has increased subsidies and tightened trade controls. A country of fertile plains, high mountains, and deserts, Syria is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including the majority Syrian Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, Assyrians, Armenians, Circassians, Mandaeans, and Greeks. Accordingly, many businesses want to enter this market and one of the most important preparations a business needs to take before expanding to this country is to learn the procedure of trademark registration in the Syrian Arab Republic.
Necessary documents for trademark registration in the Syrian Arab Republic
Necessary documents for trademark registration in the Syrian Arab Republic include:
- The application for trademark registration;
- Detailed information of the applicant (name, nationality, address, etc.);
- Detailed information of the representative or attorney (name, nationality, address, etc.);
- Classification of goods and/or services;
- Trademark sample;
- Priority documents (If any);
- The prescribed fee;
- Other necessary documents.
The procedure of trademark registration in the Syrian Arab Republic
To obtain trademark protection in the Syrian Arab Republic, the applicant needs to file their trademark application to the Syria IP Office.
After receiving the trademark application, the examiners at the IP Office will conduct a thorough formal examination, an examination of distinctiveness, and a search for prior trademarks to check whether the intended mark is identical or closely similar to any prior registered trademarks covering the same goods or services.
The acceptance or refusal of a trademark shall be examined in light of the examiner’s preliminary study. Once all the procedures related to the registration process of the trademark in the Syrian Arab Republic are done, the Trademark Office will register the trademark.
A trademark is published in the Official Gazette only after its registration.
It takes approximately 8-12 months from first filing to registration.
Validity period and notes when registering a trademark in Syria
Once registered, a trademark in Syria is protected for 10 years (which is normally considered to be the filing date of the application).
Every 10 years, the trademark owner may renew the trademark for similar periods of 10 years.
If the trademark owner misses the deadline for renewal, he/she can file for renewal during the grace period of 6 months after the expiration date, upon payment of a late renewal fee.
Note:
Syria is a member of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (London Act).
Infringement or unauthorized use of a registered trademark is punishable under the provisions of the current Trademark Law in Syria.
Use requirement of a trademark in the Syrian Republic Arab Republic
The use of trademarks in Syria is not compulsory for filing applications for registration nor for maintaining trademark registrations in force.
The ownership of a trademark becomes conclusive after five years from the date of its registration.
However, it should be noted that if the trademark is not used within 3 years from the registration date or for any period of 3 consecutive years, it may be subject to cancellation by third parties.
You can see a list of the Syrian Arab Republic IP firms here.