IP in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Information to help you protect, manage, and enforce your intellectual property (IP) rights in the UAE.
This page provides practical information to help you make the most of your IP when doing business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
If you plan to do business in UAE, or if you are already trading there, it is essential to know how to manage and enforce your IP as private property rights.
The Ministry of Economy is the body responsible for operating the patent, industrial design, trade mark and copyright system in the UAE.
British businesses seeking IP advice should contact our Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) attache, based in the British Embassy, Riyadh.
Trade marks
The UAE trade mark system is like the UK’s. Trade marks protect symbols, colours or other devices used to identify a business’ products or services. A trade mark is valid for 10 years, then may be renewed indefinitely for further 10-year periods. Collective and certification marks can be protected.
To protect a trade mark in the UAE you can apply directly to the Ministry of Economy.
The UAE has recently joined the Madrid Protocol for International Trade Marks.
Good to know
The UAE recognises well-known trade marks.
Multiclass applications are currently not available.
The Ministry of Economy provides detailed guidelines and FAQs for trade mark applications on their website.
Patents
Like in the UK, patents for inventions can be protected for up to 20 years in the UAE. All patent rights in the UAE are subject to the payment of annual renewal fees, commencing 1 year after they’ve been filed. As in the UK, there is no provision for utility model patents in the UAE.
To protect your innovation with a patent in the UAE you can file an application directly to the International Centre for Patent Registration (ICPOR) under the Ministry of Economy - Register Patents.
UAE is a Contracting State of the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
Good to know
Like the UK, the UAE operates a ‘first to file’ principle. If more than one person applies for a patent on an identical invention, the first to file the application will be awarded the patent. As in the UK, there is no provision for utility model patents in the UAE.
UAE does not provide for a grace period.
Designs
In the UAE, design protection initially lasts for 10 years.
To protect the appearance of your product with a design right in UAE you must file an application directly to the International Centre for Patent Registration (ICPR).
The ICPR sits under Ministry of Economy and is the competent authority to register designs in the UAE. To register a design, you can do so via the Ministry of Economy’s website
UAE is not party to the international Hague system for search and registration of industrial designs, so it is not possible to file a design through this route.
Good to know
Multiple design applications are not permitted in UAE.
Registration is required for protection and enforcement purposes.
Copyright
The UAE copyright framework provides all the basic protections required by international law. Copyright owners do get automatic protection through UAE law.
Copyright in UAE protects works that are original and expressed in a tangible form, for example, recorded on tape or written down.
The length of protection lasts for 50 years counted from 1 January of the year following the author’s death.
Good to know
The Ministry of Economy is the competent authority to register copyrights in the UAE. You can register a copyright via the Ministry of Economy’s website
Enforcing your rights
IP rights are infringed when others make use of your IP rights in an unauthorised way. In case o f infringement, you can enforce your IP rights through an action in the civil court or through criminal prosecution. Injunctions are civil remedies for infringement of IP. Injunctions are court orders to make an infringer stop the infringing act.
Issues with IP infringement can be dealt with directly with the alleged infringer, for example using mediation, “cease and desist letters” or through a licencing arrangement.
The UAE is made up of 7 emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Um AL Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) and Fujairah. Except for Um AL Quwain and Fujairah, the other 5 emirates have their own customs system. For example, if a recordal is only made with Dubai Customs, any shipments coming through the other emirates such as Abu Dhabi, RAK, Sharjah, and Ajman will not be stopped. You must have a certified copy of a valid trade mark registration certificate for recordal purposes.
More information
Visit the Department for International Trade page for more information about exporting to the UAE.
The UAE-UK Business Council offers a range of services to support UK businesses trading in the region.
The British Embassy supports UK businesses in the UAE.