Practical guide

Trademark registration

A trade name reservation is not a trademark. Reserving a company name stops another company registering the same name with that authority; it gives you no right to stop anyone using your brand on their products.

The distinction that costs people their brand

Founders assume that because the licensing authority approved their trade name, the brand is protected. It is not. Trade name reservation is a corporate registry function. Trademark registration is an intellectual property right, registered with the Ministry of Economy, examined, published for opposition, and granted per class of goods and services.

Classes and territory

Trademarks are registered in classes under the Nice Classification. Registering in the class covering your software does not protect the same name on clothing. UAE registration covers the UAE — protection elsewhere in the GCC requires separate filings.

The sequence. Each stage depends on the one before it.

Registered with: Ministry of Economy
Basis: Nice Classification — protection is per class
Process: Filing, examination, publication, opposition window, registration
Typical duration: Several months to around a year
Term: Ten years, renewable
Territory: The UAE only — other GCC states require separate filings

What to watch. Do not build the brand before the search. Companies that print signage, packaging and a website before checking the register occasionally find they have spent a marketing budget on a name they must abandon.

Search the register
Before you print anything. A conflicting prior mark is far cheaper to find now.
Identify the classes
Every class costs separately, so pick the ones that reflect real trade rather than every one that might.
File with the Ministry of Economy
With the mark, the applicant details and a power of attorney where an agent files.
Examination and publication
The mark is examined, then published for an opposition period.
Registration and renewal
Granted for ten years and renewable. Diary the renewal — lapsed marks are lost.

Questions

No. A trade name is reserved with the licensing authority and only prevents another company registering the same name with that authority. A trademark is an intellectual property right registered with the Ministry of Economy and enforceable against use of the brand.

Typically several months to around a year, through examination, publication and an opposition window before registration.

Ten years from registration, renewable indefinitely in ten-year terms.

One question

Trademark registration