Trade fairs and exhibitions are often where businesses first introduce new brands, products and services to the market. However, displaying a new trade mark before filing an application can expose it to the risk of being copied or registered by third parties.
To address this, many jurisdictions offer temporary trade mark protection for marks displayed at official exhibitions. Although the concept is well established internationally, it is often overlooked in practice across the GCC.
An international concept
The concept originates from Article 11 of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, which requires member states to provide temporary protection for industrial property exhibited at official or officially recognised international exhibitions. Each country may determine the procedures, requirements and duration of that protection under its national laws.
