United Arab Emirates: Previous Restriction on Class 33 Removed
An important development for trademark owners in the wine and spirits sector: the United Arab Emirates has officially introduced Class 33, allowing trademark applications to be filed for alcoholic beverages.
Until now, Class 33 was not available, and businesses were required to rely on indirect forms of protection, primarily through Classes 32 and 43. This change finally aligns the local system with the Nice Classification and enables direct protection for wines, spirits, and other alcoholic beverages.
Existing registrations remain valid; however, trademark owners should consider extending the protection for their brands to Class 33 in order to strengthen their trademark rights in the UAE.
This development confirms a trend already observed across the region. A similar measure was recently introduced in Qatar, reflecting the Gulf countries’ gradual alignment with international trademark protection standards.
Given the expected increase in new Class 33 filings, it is also advisable to monitor the market through appropriate trademark watch services in order to identify potentially conflicting marks at an early stage.
Our professionals remain at your disposal for any further information or assistance you may require.
