Trademark Monitoring in the UAE: Watching the Bulletin and the Market

MoET does not tell you when someone applies for a mark similar to yours. It publishes accepted applications in the Trademark Bulletin twice a month and gives everyone 30 days to oppose. If nobody notices, the conflicting mark is registered and can only be removed by a cancellation action – slower and costlier. Monitoring is how owners catch conflicts in time.

What a trademark watch covers

1. Bulletin watch. Every issue of the MoET Trademark Bulletin is checked against your marks for identical and similar words (Latin and Arabic script, phonetic variants) and, for device marks, similar logos, in your classes and related classes. Hits are reported with the opposition deadline.
2. Register watch. Newly filed applications are checked before publication where visible, giving early warning.
3. Market watch. Periodic checks of marketplaces (Amazon.ae, noon), social media, app stores and domain registrations for use of your brand.
4. Customs alerts. With a customs recordal in place, detained shipments are notified to you automatically.

Why it matters in the UAE specifically

• First-to-file: you cannot rely on prior use to defeat a later filing; opposition is your tool.
• 30-day window with no extension.
• Arabic-script filings are common and easy to miss with English-only checks.
• Class overlap: conflicting marks often appear in an adjacent class (e.g. Class 35 retail against your Class 25 goods).

What to do with a hit

Finding	Action	Deadline
Similar application published	File an opposition	30 days from bulletin date
Similar mark already registered	Cancellation for non-use or invalidity; or coexistence agreement	None, but sooner is stronger
Copycat shop, product or listing	Enforcement: DED complaint, takedown, customs	Preserve evidence first
Your own mark's renewal date approaching	Renew	Year 10

Cost

Watch services are priced per mark per year; a portfolio rate applies for several marks. It is a fraction of the cost of one cancellation action. We include a bulletin watch for two years with every registration we file, and offer ongoing monitoring as part of portfolio maintenance.

Do-it-yourself option

The Bulletin is public. If you have a single mark, set a reminder for each issue (twice a month), search your name and its Arabic form in your classes, and note the publication date so you can count the 30 days. Most owners find this unsustainable after the first few months – which is what watch services are for.

Ask about monitoring for your marks →