Intellectual Property protection important for Oman’s domestic products: MoCIIP

Muscat: The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP)  has pointed out that the protection of various intellectual property plays an important economic role in enhancing the value of domestic products.

The Ministry called on Omani  companies to utilise the  cultural heritage in giving names of origin to  their trademarks and products, as this branding can contribute to strategic integration and encouraging  diversity in creativity and innovation  for all industries, as well as providing  an incentive for the merging of  many small and medium enterprises in particular the  innovators among these  enterprises.

It also called on all relevant authorities to protect and enhance local and traditional production methods by registering the origin of products with its characteristics belonging to the geographical environment, whether it acquired these qualities from natural or human factors.

Fatima Bint Khalfan Al Baloushi, a biotechnology patent specialist in  the Intellectual Property Department at MoCIIP pointed out some examples of products that may be under a national collective mark with a symbol that refers to the geographical region from which it gained its reputation, such as: Omani Halwa, Omani frankincense products, Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar products,  plant varieties with a geographical indication that are rare and other authentic crafts like making ships and traditional foods.