Summary of the Trademark Registration System
Lebanon is a member to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. The international classification of goods and services is followed in Lebanon. An application can include goods
and/or services in any number of classes but a separate official fee is to be paid for each class.
Once a trademark application is filed, it is examined as to whether it is contrary to the public order and morals or representing national or foreign decorations. When the trademark is accepted, the
relevant certificate of registration will be due for issuance. Publication of a trademark is usually effected in the Official Gazette after registration of the mark. There is no provision for opposition.
A cancellation action may be instituted by any interested party at any time during the term of protection on such grounds as lack of distinctiveness and improper registration. A trademark registration
is valid for 15 years as from the filing date and renewable for indefinite similar periods. A grace period of 3 months from the date of expiration is allowed for filing a late renewal application.
The assignment of a trademark can be recorded. In order to be effective against third parties, the assignment of a trademark should be entered in the trademark register at the Trademark Office.
The assignment of a trademark may be with or without the goodwill of the business concern. The recordal of an assignment must be made within two months after the transfer, but a delay for transmission is allowed. Late recordals can be effected but subject to payment of a fine for late application for recordal.
Use of a trademark in Lebanon is not compulsory for filing applications, nor for maintaining trademark registrations in force. Any party that has been using a mark from a date anterior to the date
of application for its registration, may request the court to remove the improperly registered mark within a period of 5 years from the filing date.
Unauthorized use of a trademark registered under the law, an imitation of such trademark applied on goods of the same class, sale, storing for the purpose of sale, exhibiting for sale of goods bearing
a counterfeit mark, or using a mark duly registered under the law by another person to serve the purpose of unauthorized promotion of goods of the same class are offenses punishable under the law in Lebanon.
Summary of the Patent Registration System
Patents are granted for 20 years from the filing date. Patents of addition are granted for the unexpired term of the principal patent.
A patent application should be filed before the relevant invention has been used or published in either Lebanon or abroad. Patent applications are subject to examination as to novelty.
Pharmaceutical formulae and compounds are patentable, as well as the methods of production are patentable. Patent Varieties may also be protected. Opposition to the grant of patents is not provided for. Taxes for maintaining patents are payable annually on the anniversary date of filing. There is a six-month grace period for late renewal of a patent.
A patent may be declared void unless the invention has been worked in Lebanon within 2 years from the date of grant and 3 years for nationals belonging to convention countries. There is no provision
regarding the grant of a compulsory license in the absence of working. In order to be effective against third parties, the assignment of a patent should be recorded with the Patent Office within three months from the date of the assignment.
Summary of the Design Registration System
An industrial model is registrable for an initial term of 25 years counting from the filing date. The duration of a registration is extendible only once for another term of 25 years. A design should be
distinguishable from those previously known. The advertisement of a design prior to filing the application, even by way of sale of the relevant products, does not preclude registration. There is no
provision for opposition to the registration of a design or an industrial model.
Working of designs is not required, and compulsory licensing is not applicable. Marking is optional and damaging a validly registered and published design knowingly subjects the offender to a fine. The
assignment of rights in a design is required to be filed within 3 months of the date of the assignment.
Summary of the Copyright Registration System
Copyrights are governed by Arrete No. 2385 of January 17, 1924, revised by the law of January 31, 1946 Law No. 20/69 of May 23, 1969 and the recently adopted copyright revised Law No. 75 of April 3, 1999.
The protection is available to all manifestations of human intelligence, whether written, plastic, graphic or oral including computer software. In order to gain protection, the work must be deposited with the Office of Protection of Commercial, Industrial, Literary, Artistic and Musical Property at the Ministry of Economy and Trade. Protection is available to nationals and foreigners for the lifetime of the author and for a period of 50 years after his death. Should the work be published in the name of a company the duration of the protection shall be fifty years from the date of publication of the work.
Infringements are prosecuted before the Civil Court of Lebanon and infringers will be penalized by a fine or imprisonment.
Summary of the Domain Name Registration System
To register a domain name with the Lebanese Domain Registry LB-DOM, it is mandatory to trademark the exact domain name sought to be registered at the Lebanese Ministry or Commerce and Trade. The applicant for a domain name should be the owner of the corresponding trademark.
The trademark certificate should reflect the exact domain name in Latin characters. The list of services should specify the Internet advertising class 35, i.e. for XYZ.com.lb, the trademark should be
"XYZ".
To register a domain name under net.lb, the applicant should provide a copy of its entry in the Lebanese commercial register, and a copy of the Lebanese ISP license or Internet leased line license issued by the Lebanese Ministry of Post and Telecommunications. The trademark certificate should clearly show ownership by the Lebanese commercial entity.
To register a domain name under org.lb the applicant should provide a copy of the Lebanese not-for-profit entity license document or a supporting document to prove that the requesting international entity has an official operation in Lebanon. The document should be issued by the Lebanese Ministry of Interior. The trademark certificate should clearly show ownership by the Lebanese not-for-profit entity.
To register a domain name under gov.lb, the applicant should be a Lebanese government entity, such as a ministry, municipality, etc., i.e. the domain name request authorization should be signed and
stamped by the highest official in that entity.
To register a domain name under edu.lb, the applicant should be an academic or vocational institution and provide a copy of its license issued by the Lebanese Ministry of Education. The trademark
certificate should clearly show ownership by the Lebanese educational entity.
To register a domain name under com.lb, the applicant should provide a copy of its entry in the Lebanese commercial registrar. The trademark certificate should clearly show ownership by the Lebanese commercial entity.
In all cases, the domain owner should send a complete LBDR-A form with clear authorization delegation instructions. The authorizing person should be the official representative of the entity. The
authorizing person is the administrative contact for the domain. The guardian, or authorized person, is the technical contact for the domain.