IP Protection in 2022: UAE Brand Owners Must Consider These New Developments
The regime of Intellectual Property Protection (IP) in the UAE keeps evolving making the country conducive for brand owners from across the world. The year 2022 is critical for every brand owner who wishes to expand into the country as the government has announced a series of reforms that will make the IP protection regime more robust. The new reforms are mainly linked to laws and procedures of trademark registration in the UAE and patent protection.
To leverage the new reforms, first, you need to consult with trademark agents in Dubai who can guide you on the relevant laws and standard procedures. The agents will guide you on every aspect of the trademark and patent law amendments. Here is a list of recent developments in the UAE IP regime that brand owners ought to consider in 2022:
Amendment to UAE Trademarks Law
The UAE has recently mended the federal laws concerning trademark protection in the UAE. The new amendments issued in December 2021 has expanded the scope of protection to cover three-dimensional trademarks, holograms and sound trademarks in the UAE. The new amendments also cover the registration of geographical names of trademarks or products whose name is associated with the names of specific geographic regions or countries and are famous for producing this product.
Other key amendments to the UAE Trademark Law include the scrapping of the previous requirement to have a trade license to facilitate trademark registration in the UAE. The new amendment also grants SME businesses temporary protection to safeguard the trademark of their products during participation in exhibitions. More importantly, the new amendments allow multi-class applications.
Industrial Property Rights Law
The new industrial property rights law has significantly amended the provisions regarding the utility certificate, which can be transformed into a patent application subject to the conditions laid out in the executive regulations of the law. In the new, law disclosures made by an inventor or a third-party who directly or indirectly obtained information from the inventor will not affect the patent grant if it happened within 12 months of the date of filing the application.
Additionally, an industrial design will be considered new only when it has not been disclosed to the public before the date of filing the application whether through publication, use, or any other method. The amendment has broadened the period of industrial design protection in the UAE to 20 years counting from the date of filing the application. You are also allowed to register integrated Circuit Layout Designs in the UAE with the term of protection being ten years. Consult with IP firms in Dubai for further information.
UAE Joins the Madrid System
In a much-anticipated move, the UAE has formally acceded to the Madrid Protocol of International Trademark Registration on 28th September 2021. In doing so the UAE has become the Madrid System’s 109th member and the third GCC country to join the Madrid Union after Bahrain and Oman. The Madrid Protocol of International Trademark Registration has entered into force in the UAE on December 28, 2021.
The Madrid Protocol offers you a convenient and centralised system to register your trademark in multiple international jurisdictions. You can register a trademark in 122 designated member countries through a single filing. More importantly, the filing can be done in a single language of your choice. Madrid Protocol is also cost-effective compared to the process of national trademark registration in the UAE. Hire the best trademark agents in Dubai to quickly file a trademark under the Madrid Protocol.
Hire the Best Trademark Agents in Dubai, UAE
You need to be updated about the latest developments in the UAE IP regime to efficiently protect your IP rights in the region. Brand owners can now efficiently meet key requirements such as patent registration, industrial design registration and trademark registration in the UAE. However, you still need to appoint local agents to execute your IP applications. Trademark agents in Dubai such as Jitendra Intellectual property can help you with filing applications for patents and trademarks.
JIP is a leading IP firm offering cost-effective patent and trademark registration services in Dubai, UAE. JIP can help you with understanding the new legislation related to trademarks, patents and industrial designs. We can assist you in provisional refusals, oppositions and appeals as international registrations as per Madrid Protocol still require a local representative. JIP guarantees you that our qualified IP agents in Dubai are happy to assist you in all your requirements. Through our well-established IP department, you can ensure protection against infringement and counterfeit products as well.