Jordan Trademark Information

Jordan, officially the Hashemite Arab Kingdom of Jordan, is located in the Middle East/Southwest Asia. It is bordered by Israel to the west, Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, and Saudi Arabia to the southeast. The population is estimated at 6,407,000 with a GDP of $33.66 billion.

Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the UK received a mandate to govern much of the Middle East. Britain separated out a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine in the early 1920s, and the area gained its independence in 1946; it adopted the name of Jordan in 1950. The country's long-time ruler was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population. Jordan lost the West Bank to Israel in the 1967 war and barely managed to defeat Palestinian rebels who threatened to overthrow the monarchy in 1970. King HUSSEIN in 1988 permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank. In 1989, he reinstituted parliamentary elections and initiated a gradual political liberalization; political parties were legalized in 1992. In 1994, he signed a peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II, the son of King HUSSEIN, assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. In 2003, Jordan staunchly supported the Coalition ouster of Saddam in Iraq and following the outbreak of insurgent violence in Iraq, absorbed thousands of displaced Iraqis. Municipal elections were held in July 2007 under a system in which 20% of seats in all municipal councils were reserved by quota for women. Parliamentary elections were held in November 2007 and saw independent pro-government candidates win the vast majority of seats. In November 2009, King ABDALLAH exercised his constitutional authority to dissolve parliament and called for new elections. Separately, he dismissed the government and appointed a new prime minister and cabinet in December 2009. The King charged the new government with conducting elections before the end of 2010 as well as instituting economic and political reforms.

Trademarks are assigned through the Industrial Property Protection Directorate under the supervision of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Jordan is not a member of the Madrid Protocol. A trademark is valid for 10 years and may be renewed for further periods of 10 years each.

The following may not be registered as trademarks:

• Marks which resemble the emblem of His Majesty the King or royal crests or the word royal or any other words, characters or representations which may lead to the belief that the applicant enjoys royal patronage.
• The insignia or decorations of the government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan or those of foreign states or countries unless with the authorization of the competent authorities.
• Marks indicating any official designation unless the application of which is demanded by the competent authorities to whom such mark belongs or is under their supervision.
• Marks which resemble the national flag or the military or naval banners of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan or its honorary decorations or insignia or the national, military or naval banners.
• Marks which include the following words and expressions: "patent", "patented", "by royal patent", "registered", "registered design", "copyright", "counterfeiting is forgery", or similar words or expressions.
• Marks which are contrary to the public order or morality or which lead to deceiving the public, or marks which encourage unfair trading competition or contain false indications as to their real origin.