Our Expert in United Arab Emirates
The UAE trademark changes that took effect between late 2025 and early 2026 represent the most consequential overhaul of the country’s trademark administration in over a decade. Cabinet Resolution No. (102) of 2025 restructured official fees and introduced new services, including an expedited one‑day trademark examination, while the adoption of the 13th Edition of the Nice Classification from 27 January 2026 altered how goods and services must be classified in every new filing. Alongside these procedural shifts, the Ministry of Economy launched a TM Marketplace designed to let rights holders monetise, trade and police registered marks through a single government‑backed platform.
For brand owners, IP managers and in‑house counsel operating in or exporting to the UAE, the combined effect is a faster, more cost‑efficient, but also more complex, trademark environment that demands immediate portfolio action.
Key takeaways:
The structural backbone of UAE trademark law remains Federal Decree‑Law No. (36) of 2021 on Trademarks, which consolidated registration requirements, opposition procedures, licensing frameworks and criminal penalties into a single statute. Cabinet Resolution No. (102) of 2025 does not replace that primary law. Instead, it sits beneath it as a subordinate instrument that re‑calibrates the administrative machinery, fees, service timelines and the Ministry of Economy’s operational toolkit, through which the Decree‑Law is applied in practice.
The Resolution was reported as issued on 8 October 2025, with certain fee adjustments taking effect from 14 November 2025. Its core provisions accomplish three things. First, it revises the schedule of official fees payable for trademark filing, registration, renewal, amendments and infringement complaints. Second, it establishes a formal services framework that defines the scope and delivery standard for each Ministry of Economy trademark service, including the new expedited examination track. Third, it introduces the legal and operational foundation for the TM Marketplace.
For practitioners, the interaction between the Decree‑Law and the Resolution is critical. The Decree‑Law sets substantive grounds for refusal, opposition rights and enforcement remedies. The Resolution governs how quickly and at what cost those rights can be pursued. Industry observers expect this division to allow the Ministry to continue adjusting fees and service levels by subordinate resolution without requiring full legislative amendment, a model that enables rapid, iterative regulatory change.
The practical consequence for in‑house teams is straightforward: trademark budgets, standard operating procedures and filing timelines all need to be recalibrated against the Resolution’s new fee schedule and service definitions. Failure to do so risks both overspending on unchanged services and missing opportunities, particularly the one‑day examination, that the new framework creates.
The 13th Edition of the Nice Classification took effect globally on 1 January 2026. The UAE Ministry of Economy confirmed its adoption for all new trademark applications from 27 January 2026 via an official circular. From that date, every new filing submitted to the trademark registry must use Nice 13 class headings and specifications.
Nice Classification revisions are typically incremental, but the 13th Edition introduced meaningful shifts in class boundaries that affect common commercial categories. Several product and service descriptions were relocated between classes, new terms were added to reflect modern commercial activity, and certain legacy headings were narrowed or merged. For brand owners with broad portfolios, the risk is not that existing registrations become invalid, they remain in force under the class designations originally granted, but that new filings referencing outdated specifications may be rejected or inadvertently filed in the wrong class, creating protection gaps.
| Product / Service Category | Previous Classification (Nice 12) | Nice 13 Classification | Action Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart eyewear (AR/VR glasses) | Potentially Class 9 (broad “optical apparatus”) | More precisely defined within Class 9 sub‑headings | Verify specification wording matches Nice 13 terms |
| Perfume diffuser refills | Varied placement (Class 3 or Class 11) | Clarified positioning under Nice 13 | Audit existing registrations for coverage accuracy |
| AI‑powered software services | Class 42 (general “software” descriptions) | Refined sub‑headings for AI‑specific services in Class 42 | Update specifications in new filings to use precise Nice 13 language |
| Downloadable virtual goods (NFTs, digital fashion) | No specific Nice term in earlier editions | New terms introduced under Class 9 and Class 35 | File fresh applications using new Nice 13 terminology |
| Sustainable packaging materials | Broad Class 16 or Class 20 headings | Refined descriptions in Nice 13 | Check whether existing registration wording covers the correct sub‑heading |
The critical question for in‑house counsel is whether existing registrations, filed under Nice 12 or earlier, still adequately cover the goods and services the brand actually sells. A cosmetics company that registered fragrances broadly under Class 3, for example, should confirm that its specification language remains aligned with current Nice 13 terminology. If there is a gap, a supplementary filing using the correct Nice 13 class and specification is the safest remedy.
For rights holders looking to protect intellectual property across borders, the UAE’s adoption timeline is now synchronised with other major jurisdictions using Nice 13, simplifying multi‑jurisdictional portfolio management.
Cabinet Resolution No. (102) of 2025 restructured the fee schedule for trademark services administered by the Ministry of Economy. While the Decree‑Law establishes the legal right to file, oppose and enforce, the Resolution determines what each step costs, and, critically, how fast it can be completed.
The Resolution revised fees across multiple service categories. Reporting from specialist IP commentators and UAE media indicates that fee changes were significant enough to require immediate budget revision by large portfolio holders. The table below summarises the key service categories and the direction of change reported.
| Service Category | Direction of Fee Change (Reported) | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|
| New trademark application filing | Revised (consult current MOET fee schedule) | Update cost‑per‑filing assumptions in portfolio budgets |
| Trademark renewal | Revised | Recalculate renewal cycle costs for multi‑class portfolios |
| Amendment / modification of registered mark | Revised | Factor into Nice 13 reclassification exercise costs |
| Filing an infringement complaint | Set (reported at levels designed to streamline enforcement access) | Enforcement becomes more budget‑predictable for rights holders |
| Expedited one‑day examination | New service fee introduced | Available for time‑critical filings (product launches, enforcement) |
| TM Marketplace listing | New service fee introduced | Budget for annual listing and monitoring costs |
Rights holders should obtain the current fee schedule directly from the Ministry of Economy’s official portal, as specific amounts are subject to periodic administrative updates.
The most commercially significant new service is the expedited one‑day trademark examination. Under the standard examination track, applicants historically waited weeks for an initial examination report. The one‑day examination service, introduced under the Resolution’s services framework, allows eligible applicants to receive an examination result within a single business day of submission.
Eligibility criteria are expected to include a clean, straightforward application, one that does not raise obvious descriptiveness, prior‑rights or public‑order concerns. Applications for complex marks, those in crowded classes or those with pending opposition are less likely to qualify. The service carries a premium fee above the standard filing cost.
The likely practical effect will be substantial for brand owners launching products under tight timelines, companies needing registration to support enforcement actions, and rights holders filing defensively against known squatters. Early indications suggest that uptake has been strong, particularly among technology and consumer‑goods companies with aggressive go‑to‑market calendars in the UAE.
The UAE TM Marketplace is a government‑backed digital platform that enables registered trademark owners to list marks for licensing, sale or transfer, and, equally important, to monitor and police how their marks appear in commercial activity. The Marketplace sits within the Ministry of Economy’s broader digital transformation of IP services and is designed to create a transparent, centralised environment for trademark transactions.
For brand owners, the TM Marketplace UAE platform serves a dual purpose. On the commercial side, it facilitates monetisation: rights holders can advertise marks available for licensing or outright assignment, with transaction integrity supported by the government framework. On the enforcement side, the Marketplace provides visibility into registered marks and their ownership chains, which strengthens a rights holder’s position when filing takedown requests or customs complaints.
Three steps to onboard:
Industry observers expect the Marketplace to become an increasingly important tool as the Ministry integrates it with enforcement workflows, potentially allowing direct referral of suspicious listings to customs or economic‑crime units.
The UAE trademark reforms have meaningful implications for trademark enforcement. The combination of revised fee structures, faster examination and the TM Marketplace creates new tactical options for rights holders combating counterfeiting and infringement. Effective anti‑counterfeit strategy in the UAE now requires coordination across four distinct channels.
| Enforcement Channel | Responsible Agency / Venue | Expected Timeframe | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs border seizure | Federal Customs Authority / emirate‑level customs | Seizure at point of import; rights holder notification within days | Prior recordal of trademark with customs; power of attorney |
| Civil court action | UAE Federal or emirate‑level civil courts | Months (interim injunctions available on expedited basis) | Registered trademark; evidence of infringement; court fees |
| Criminal complaint | Public Prosecution / Economic Crime Unit | Weeks to months depending on complexity | Filed complaint with evidence; coordination with Ministry of Economy |
| Online marketplace takedown | Platform‑specific (e.g., Amazon.ae, Noon) + Ministry coordination | Days to weeks depending on platform responsiveness | Proof of registration; screenshots of infringing listings; takedown request |
The revised fee for filing infringement complaints under Cabinet Resolution No. (102) of 2025 has made enforcement more cost‑predictable, which should be factored into annual IP budgets. Brand owners should reassess their enforcement posture across several dimensions.
Customs recordal remains the single most effective pre‑emptive step. Rights holders who have not already recorded their marks with UAE customs should prioritise this immediately. The recordal provides customs officers with the authority to detain suspected counterfeit shipments at the border and notify the rights holder for verification.
Online marketplace monitoring should be systematised. The growth of e‑commerce in the UAE, particularly through platforms such as Amazon.ae and Noon, means that counterfeit goods increasingly reach consumers through digital channels. A structured takedown programme involves regular monitoring (weekly or automated), standardised takedown request templates, and escalation paths for repeat offenders.
Civil litigation under the Decree‑Law provides for injunctive relief, damages and destruction of infringing goods. The availability of interim injunctions on an expedited basis makes civil court action a viable tool for urgent enforcement, particularly where customs seizure alone is insufficient. Rights holders should maintain standing litigation files, including evidence of registration, market presence and damage calculations, so that court proceedings can be initiated quickly when needed.
Criminal complaints are appropriate for large‑scale or repeat counterfeiting operations. Coordination with the Ministry of Economy’s enforcement division and the relevant emirate’s economic crime unit is essential. The revised fee framework has streamlined the complaint process, and brand owners should maintain a direct relationship with enforcement contacts to ensure rapid case initiation.
For broader context on cross‑border IP protection strategies, the international intellectual property guide provides a complementary overview of multi‑jurisdictional enforcement approaches.
The following checklist provides a structured framework for in‑house counsel and IP managers to respond to the UAE trademark changes. Each step identifies the responsible team, a recommended timeframe and the key deliverable.
When exporting data from the UAE trademark registry for audit purposes, ensure the following fields are captured for each registration:
The UAE trademark changes introduced by Cabinet Resolution No. (102) of 2025 and the adoption of Nice Classification 13 are already in force. Waiting is not a neutral decision, it creates cumulative risk as portfolios drift further from the current classification framework and competitors take advantage of faster examination and enforcement tools. In‑house counsel should prioritise three actions this quarter: complete the Nice 13 portfolio audit, recalibrate the IP budget to reflect the new fee structure, and ensure customs recordals and enforcement monitoring are current. Rights holders requiring specialist guidance on UAE filings, enforcement strategy or TM Marketplace onboarding can connect with qualified intellectual property practitioners through the Global Law Experts lawyer directory.
This article was produced by Global Law Experts. For specialist advice on this topic, contact Ziad Hassouneh at Emirates Intellectual Property Services, a member of the Global Law Experts network.
Rights holders managing multi‑jurisdictional portfolios should also review the complementary guidance on cross‑border intellectual property strategy for an integrated approach to portfolio management and enforcement.
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