Effective 29 May 2015, the UAE (pursuant to Cabinet Decree (9/2015)) increased the official government fees payable for various transactions at the Ministry of Economy, including trade mark fees.
There is no transitional provision so the increase will apply to all fees payable after 29 May 2015.
The increases to the official trade mark fees have been significant. For example, the opposition fee has increased to just over US$2,700 (previously this was around US$70) and the fee to appeal a decision by the UAE Trade Marks Office during prosecution now attracts a fee of around US$1,400.
The reason behind the fee increases is unclear but these increases will no doubt affect how brand owners proceed with and manage their trade marks in the UAE.
Please contact us if you require additional information on the UAE fee increases.