Balancing the Inventors’ Interest against the Public Interest: The Case of the Patent Law of Qatar

DOI: 10.5176/2251-3809_LRPP1219

Authors: Mohamed Salem Abou El Farag

Abstract: In compliance with its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization, Qatar issued new laws on intellectual property. With the rapid development of the country’s economy, a patent regime has, undoubtedly, become a critical issue. This paper examines the Qatari patent law (Law No. 30/2006) It argues that although the law contains some measures aimed at protecting the public interest, it has not gone far enough and appears to fall short of international aspirations.
Keywords: developing countries; Qatar; intellectual property; patents; TRIPs; inventors’ interests; public interest