UAE - New Fees for Patents, Designs, Utility Models & Integrated Circuits

The UAE Ministry of Economy has recently issued Resolution No. 112 of 2023, in which it announced the introduction of some new official fees for patents, utility models, industrial designs and integrated circuits.  The Resolution was published in the UAE’s Official Gazette on 15 November 2023, and the new fees will come into force two months after that date on 15 January 2024.

Of particular significance is the introduction of some new fees for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and the reinstatement of certain official fees that were previously abolished, including for publication, annuities and changes of representation.  The Resolution also introduces new fees for accelerated examination, re-examination for minor office actions, and post-grant examination. These changes are intended to streamline the patent examination process and enhance the efficiency of the patent procedure in the UAE.

A further important change that has been introduced by the Resolution is a limitation imposed on the maximum number of patent claims.  There will be a cap on the number of claims in each patent of 50, and there will also be a tiered fee structure comprising three different examination fees based on the number of claims. This approach is intended to align with international best practices and to ensure that the fee structure is equitable and reflective of the resources required for the examination process.

In view of the changes described above, we would recommend to our clients that wherever possible, instructions for any upcoming actions on IP cases in the UAE be sent to us before 15 January 2024, so as to benefit from the current reduced or zero-rated fees.

For any further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.