Tanzania: The Fair Competition Commission (FCC) has issued a public notice announcing the commencement of a mandatory trademark rights recordation system for all goods imported into Mainland Tanzania, effective from December 1, 2025. This new measure, enacted under Section 11A of the Merchandise Marks Act, 1963 (as amended) and the Merchandise Marks (Recordation) Regulations, 2025, is intended to enhance border control and combat the importation of counterfeit goods.

To ensure compliance and avoid potential delays or detention of goods, it is now a requirement that all trademarks associated with imported goods, regardless of their place of registration, be formally recorded with the Chief Inspector of Merchandise Marks. The recordation process requires submission of a certified copy of the current trademark registration, details of the applicant, place of manufacture, and a sample of the trademarked goods, along with payment of the prescribed fees.

Given the mandatory nature of this new regulation, we strongly advise you to review your trademark portfolios and take immediate steps to initiate the recordation process for all relevant marks. Our firm is prepared to assist you with the necessary documentation and filings to ensure a seamless transition and full compliance with these new requirements. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further assistance.

Qatar: the Qatari Trademark Office has issued a new circular dated 15 Sep. 2025 mandating that all trademark applications must strictly adhere to the 11th edition of the Nice Classification for the specification of goods and services to be included in new trademark applications, which aligns with the provisions of GCC Law No. 7/2014. Furthermore, the selection of the class heading or using the phrase “all goods or services within class…” are no longer possible; even though manual selection of all items of goods/services as classified in the 11th edition of the Nice Classification is currently still possible. To ensure compliance, all new trademark filings must now contain a detailed and specific list of the goods and services, as precisely defined by the terms found in the 11th edition of the Nice Classification. It is worth mentioning that registration of a trademark in any items of goods or services in a specific class offers a full legal protection of the trademark for any item of goods/services falling in the same class even though it is not literally mentioned on the registration in the effect that no closely similar or identical trademark can be allowed for registration for different goods/services in the same class or the owner can enforce the legal protection of the mark for different goods/services.