A registered trademark ensures that your brand’s properties or identity is not copied by another company. The ™ symbol can be used against your brand or product’s name once you have filed an application for trademark registration. However, the ® symbol is only used after you have been granted the trademark certificate.

In the UAE, it is the Ministry of Economy that oversees trademark registration applications and grants them after a series of processes that include searching for the trademark and filing the application by the applicant; examination of application and issuance of acceptance or rejection order; publishing of the trademark in the local newspaper and opposition period; payment of final registration fees and issuance of the Trademark certificate.

The UAE follows a first-to-file system which means that a Trademark application is most likely granted to businesses that are the first to file a trademark application as opposed to some other countries that follow a first-to-use system which is more difficult to administer.

A trademark registration ensures that your brand or product or service is legally protected from duplication of your brand’s properties, it improves your brand’s worth or perception in the minds of your customers while also creating and maintaining its identity.

A trademark registration in the UAE lasts for 10 years post which, it must be renewed by paying the renewal fees.