collaboration with WIPO and the Emirates Intellectual Property Association

Ministry of Economy holds an awareness workshop on the Madrid system for the international registration of trademarks in the UAE

>>  The workshop provides the business community and stakeholders with the best practices adopted in the protection of intellectual property, contributing to promoting the country’s leadership as a regional hub for foreign businesses and investment by attracting global brands

• The Ministry of Economy registers 10,749 new trademarks during H1 of 2022, accounting for a 98% growth as compared to the same period in 2021
• 48 participants attended the workshop from federal and local government entities and trademark registration agents' offices
• The workshop focus on increasing the awareness of accredited trademark registration agents in the Ministry, based on the main features, legal framework and the geographical coverage of the Madrid International Trademark System
• The UAE offers application filing services in 128 countries under the Madrid system for all citizens, residents and owners of companies and businesses free of charge, so that no fees are charged for UAE-based filing applications
• The workshop reviewed the paths of international applications filed by the UAE to member states or in which the country is designated for registration. Trademarks can be registered in the Madrid system through the link:

https://services.economy.ae/m/Pages/CategoryServices.aspx?CategoryID=4&lang=en-AE

The Ministry of Economy, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Emirates Intellectual Property Association, held a three-day workshop to raise awareness of the Madrid system for the international registration of trademarks and its objectives, thus contributing to strengthening the country’s leading position on global competitiveness indicators in the protection of intellectual property. The pivotal role of this sector is supported in building the new economic model of the country based on knowledge and innovation, in line with the principles of the 50 and the UAE Centennial 2071. The workshop was attended by more than 48 participants, including 18 representatives of relevant government entities, most notably the Ministry of Economy, the Communications Regulatory Authority and the Digital Government, Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Media Incorporated, and others, in addition to 30 participants from the offices of trademark registration agents from the private sector in the country.

The workshop contributes in providing the business community and stakeholders with the best global practices adopted in the protection of intellectual property, and the latest mechanisms applied in the Madrid system for the international registration of trademarks, thereby having a positive impact on enhancing the country’s leadership as a regional hub for foreign business and investment by attracting global brands. It will encourage international filings, aiming at increasing the number of international trademarks registered in the country and raising its attractiveness as an export market and economic growth. It further contributes to opening new markets for Emirati trademarks, promoting their global reach by facilitating registration procedures in the member states of the agreement, which represents more than 80% of world trade volume.

During the workshop, accredited trademark registration agents were briefed on the main features, the legal framework, and the geographical coverage of the Madrid International Trademark System, in addition the modus operandi of the system and how to use it in a way that contributes to developing the trademark environment for various companies and ensuring their sustainable growth. The workshop further illustrated the pathways of International applications, whether filed by the UAE to the member states or in which the UAE is designated for registration.

The workshop also addressed the mechanisms for filing an international application for trademark registration and the conditions necessary for the application to be completed correctly, the method of examining an international application in WIPO, how the application is referred to it and its violations, as well as clarifying the decisions of the relevant contracting parties regarding the scope of coverage, its rejection period, and its extension, the temporary status of the trademark, revocation decisions, and other decisions.

The workshop reviewed some studies on the decisions issued by the designated contracting parties, in addition to clarifying the method of changing the name, address or legal nature of the international registration holder, merging international registrations, the electronic services provided by the Madrid system and the forms and tools it provides, and the mechanisms for responding to inquiries from customers and targeted audience, clarification of the procedures for registering trademarks internationally and opening new markets for their products with effective protection of the trademarks that distinguish them.

The Ministry of Economy registered (10,749) new trademarks during the first half of 2022, accounting for a 98% growth as compared to the number of trademarks registered in the same period in 2021.