Food items in Turkmenistan must be labeled in Turkmen and/or Russian, although additional labeling in English, Turkish, Persian and Arabic is not uncommon.  Home appliances and electronics are almost exclusively labeled in English.  However, Russian-language instructions and operational menus are preferred.  The Law on Trademarks of 2008 provides for the legal protection and use of trademarks, which must first be registered at the Patent Department of the Ministry of Finance and Economy.   The Patent Department issues a certificate of registration within three months of application, after which the trademark is valid for ten years (from the date of application).