Trademark Law (No.36 of 2021) will come into effect on 2 January 2022, this Act carries with it many important and interesting amendments, most notably:

The definition of a trademark has been expanded. It now provides more explanations around non-conventional and geographical trademarks. Applications can now be filed for voice/sound, smell, and 3D/hologram trademarks. Multi-class filings will also be possible with the new trademark law, as the UAE has operated a single-class filing system for many years.

Cancellation actions will be filed with the Trademark Committee, as opposed to the Courts, which will be headed by a member of the judiciary. Cancellations for bad faith registrations are now permitted after the expiration of five years.

With regard to license, it is no longer compulsory to register a Trademark License on the Trademark Register to be enforceable.

The new law also gives the opportunity to owners of small and emerging companies to temporarily protect their marks while participating in exhibitions.