When life-changing innovations are in high demand, it is imperative to make sure that you protect your ideas. This is especially important if they are innovations that have never been seen before. In the UAE, patent protection is taken seriously. The Ministry of Economy handles it via the ICPR (International Centre for Patent Registration.) The aforementioned authorities play a key role in ensuring that patents are legal and do not exploit the general public.
Registering a patent in the UAE
When registering a patent in the UAE first ensure that you meet all the requirements. Usually, you will have to prove that you are the original owner of the idea or product. The process of registering a patent includes filling an application form that the ICPR will then use to evaluate your innovation. You can easily apply for patent registration online through the Ministry of Economy website.
The ICPR does not consider all innovations for patent protection. Some ideas will do better and save many lives if the public is given the freedom to reproduce or practice them freely. This means some patents will not be considered for intellectual property protection.
Intellectual property protection in the UAE
When patenting a product or idea in the UAE you are asking the government to protect your innovation by preventing illegal replication. A good example is in the music industry where musicians need to patent their work in order to earn royalties. If you are a musician without any patent right to your work and your song is a hit in the charts, you can end up not earning any money from it.
Therefore, it is safe to conclude that patent protection in the UAE helps innovators and creatives benefit from their hard work. When technology is fast-moving and information can get around the world in a few minutes, creative work can be easily stolen if you don’t patent it and attain proof of legal ownership.
For a UAE patent registration application, you can do it yourself directly. However, because of the complicated process and paperwork required, most choose to authorize intellectual property experts in UAE to act on their behalf. IP experts are qualified and professionals who deal with UAE intellectual property registration.
An application for patent registration in UAE must contain:
- The name and address of the patent applicant,
- Request for the patent, as well as
- Descriptions of the investigations (preferred by authorities with drawings).
On receipt of a patent registration application in UAE, the Ministry of Economy will give the registration a filing date, as well as a number that will be sent to you through a notice. As soon as you’ve filed the registration for the patent, you are free in making use of the invention without harming your chances of getting a patent in UAE, subject to the rights of other people.
Anything that’s in the public domain prior to the filing date of your application can be utilized in showing that your own idea isn’t new. It includes published documents and public talks. it is, therefore, important that you apply for the registration of your patent and get a filing date the soonest you are able. Other patent applications that have earlier filing dates may also affect the application you’ve submitted to the Ministry.
Patent areas in the UAE
Some of the items or ideas/innovations that the Ministry of Economy can provide intellectual property protection for in the UAE include creative and original written content like books, articles and even novels. The work needs to be 100% authentic and have a good impact on the public. Still, on written content, you should know that speeches and recordings result from the written content. This means you can also patent recorded speeches, videos or a combination of both.
Content like television series and movies also falls under patent areas in the UAE. Most artwork is also considered intellectual property and can be granted a patent provided there is enough proof of ownership.
In order to enforce a patent in UAE, the registration will be enough in deterring competitors or any third party from making use of your patent. This helps in referring to it within the patent literature as soon as the patent registration has been approved and intellectual property rights have been granted.
If your invention has been used before or continually used by another party without your consent, then that will be considered as an infringement. You’ll be able to obtain an injunction for stopping continued use, as well as claim damages or compensation. Take note: it’s not possible to sue for IP infringement when a patent has not yet been approved by the Ministry. As soon as the patent is granted, however, you’ll be able to submit claims for damages.
Non-patent areas in the UAE
As stated, innovations that are vital for human survival cannot be patented in the UAE. These mainly pertain to innovations in the health sector. Human life comes before anything, and that is why particular health innovations like treatments or therapies can mean life or death. Non-patent areas mean innovative ideas such as these that the ICPR cannot offer intellectual property protection rights.
The Ministry of Economy disregards such innovations for patents and instead shares the details of procedure or production with the public. Innovations associated with plants or animals are also considered to be non-patent in the emirates. As mentioned, anything to do with life cannot be patented since many people would lose their lives whilst the solution exists but is hidden via patent from the people who need it most.
We all know that the UAE has a strong culture. However, there can be innovations that go against the public norm. Any registerable patent innovation should be one that does not fall under the basic needs of living things.
How Trademark specialists will help you?
With the UAE authorities taking an active part in protecting innovators, it is right to say that the move has played an active role in improving the UAE’s economy. Should you wish to register your trademark, find experts like HHS Lawyers in Dubai. A team of specialists ideally suited for protecting and registering patents and trademarks. So, if you need a patent, contact experts today to make an initial appointment.
