Challenge
A well-established skincare company headquartered in Russia sought to expand its presence into the United Arab Emirates, one of the region’s fastest growing markets for beauty, wellness, and personal care products. To protect its brand identity and ensure exclusive commercial use, the company filed an application to register its trademark with the UAE Ministry of Economy (MOE).
Despite the brand’s international presence, the trademark application was rejected at the examination stage. The refusal was based on concerns relating to the distinctiveness of the mark and the adequacy of supporting documentation. Additionally, several submitted documents required clarification, standardization, and Arabic translation in accordance with MOE guidelines.
This created multiple challenges for the client:
- Limited understanding of the legal grounds for refusal and the Ministry’s expectations
• No prior experience filing grievance petitions before the UAE MOE
• High commercial risk as the company was preparing for a major product rollout in the region
• Potential delays impacting distribution partnerships, marketing plans, and regulatory filings
The client approached ATB Legal seeking clarity, strategic guidance, and complete legal support to overturn the refusal and secure the registration of their trademark.
This is a Part of Our Trademark Services.
Solution
ATB Legal provided comprehensive, end to end assistance to challenge the rejection and obtain approval for the trademark. Our solution focused on:
- Preparing a detailed grievance petition directly addressing each objection raised by the MOE.
- Ensuring all documents, supporting evidence, clarifications, and justifications were accurately translated and aligned with UAE drafting standards.
- Building strong legal arguments demonstrating the mark’s distinctiveness, commercial use, and compliance with UAE Trademark Law and international principles.
- Managing official communication with the MOE to ensure the grievance submission met all procedural and substantive requirements.
As a result of this structured approach, the Ministry overturned its initial refusal and approved the trademark for registration.
Approach
- Detailed Review of the Rejection Notice
ATB Legal performed a clause-by-clause analysis of the MOE’s objections, which related to:
- The clarity and distinctiveness of the trademark
• Inconsistencies in submitted documents
• Insufficient supporting evidence demonstrating uniqueness
Each point was mapped against UAE Trademark Law, Executive Regulations, and international standards to formulate an effective response strategy.
- Comprehensive Legal Research and Justification
Our IP team conducted targeted research on:
- Distinctiveness requirements under UAE law
• Relevant administrative precedents and comparative examples
• Accepted formats for grievance petitions
• Market relevance and recognition of the brand within the global skincare industry
The findings enabled us to construct robust legal reasoning to support the mark’s eligibility.
- Preparing a Grievance Petition Fully Compliant with MOE Protocols
The grievance submission included:
- A factual background of the application
• A point by point rebuttal of the objections
• Statutory and legal justifications
• Corrected and clarified documents
• Evidence of commercial use and international recognition
All supporting materials were organized into regulator friendly annexures to streamline MOE review.
- Accurate Arabic Translation of All Submissions
Professional legal translation was arranged for:
- The grievance petition
• Supporting documents
• Annexures
• Evidence and justifications
This ensured linguistic precision and compliance, minimizing any risk of misinterpretation by the MOE.
- Coordinated Filing and Follow Up with the Ministry
ATB Legal coordinated the complete filing of the grievance packet with the MOE and closely monitored the review process. Our team maintained consistent communication with the Ministry to address any procedural queries and ensured the client was fully updated at every stage.
In addition to the grievance process, ATB Legal also highlighted an important option now available under the MOE framework, namely the Submission of Additional Evidence for an Objection to the Registration of a Trademark AED 350.
Although this step was not applicable at the time of filing this grievance, it is now a valuable tool for applicants who may need to strengthen their trademark applications in the future. This mechanism can be utilized for any upcoming objections or clarifications required by the MOE and helps streamline the process for applicants by offering an affordable and formal route to supplement their trademark filings with additional proof or documentation.
ATB Legal continues to guide clients on when and how this option can be effectively used to support future trademark applications or responses to examiner objections.
Outcome
Through ATB Legal’s structured intervention and meticulous documentation, the MOE accepted the grievance submission and reversed its initial refusal. The trademark was officially approved and entered into the UAE Trademark Register.
Key benefits to the client
- Full Legal Protection in the UAE
The brand now enjoys exclusive protection against duplication, misuse, and market confusion. - Strengthened Market Entry Strategy
With the registration secured, the company proceeded confidently with product launches, distribution arrangements, and marketing campaigns. - Enhanced Regulatory Compliance
All future filings can be aligned with the standards established during this process, reducing the risk of procedural setbacks. - Reinforced Confidence in UAE Market Expansion
The successful resolution assured stakeholders of the UAE’s predictable and robust IP framework.
ATB Legal’s IP Services
This case reflects ATB Legal’s commitment to delivering strategic, accurate, and business focused intellectual property services. Our IP practice covers:
- Trademark registrations, renewals, and oppositions
• Trademark grievance submissions and evidence filings
• Copyright and design registrations
• Patent filing, maintenance, and advisory
• IP portfolio management
• Enforcement, infringement actions, and regulatory communications
With deep expertise in UAE and GCC IP laws, we provide customized, end to end support to protect brands and ensure strong market positioning.
