Exporting wine or spirits to the UAE? There is a new trade mark opportunity
There is important news for regional wineries, distilleries and beverage producers selling into, or looking to enter, the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE is now accepting national trade mark applications in Class 33.
That matters because Class 33 covers alcoholic beverages such as wine, whisky, gin, vodka, rum and liqueurs. Until now, brand owners could not obtain UAE trade mark registration directly covering these products.
That has now changed.
Why regional producers should pay attention
For Australian and New Zealand producers looking at export growth, trade mark protection is often something that gets considered too late.
A producer may spend years building a strong regional brand, secure a distributor or export opportunity, and only then discover that its trade mark protection does not extend into the new market.
For wine and spirits businesses considering the UAE, there is now a new opportunity to protect the brand directly in Class 33.
That is particularly relevant for:
wineries exporting or exploring export opportunities
craft distilleries producing gin, whisky, vodka, rum or other spirits
regional beverage businesses working with overseas distributors
producers already selling internationally but without UAE protection
businesses planning to exhibit, launch or appoint distributors in the Middle East
Already have trade marks overseas?
It is worth checking whether the UAE is a gap in your portfolio.
A regional producer may already have its brand protected in Australia, New Zealand or other export markets, but that protection does not automatically extend to the UAE.
Existing registrations in related classes may also not provide the same protection as a registration covering the alcoholic beverage itself.
The opening of Class 33 means businesses can now review that gap and consider filing directly for the products they actually sell.
Trade mark protection and permission to sell are different things
A Class 33 registration protects your brand.
It does not, by itself, give a business permission to import or sell alcohol in the UAE. Separate licensing, distribution and regulatory requirements still apply.
However, if the UAE is part of your export strategy, brand protection should be considered alongside those commercial plans, not after them.