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DUBAI / WAM
The Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection (CCCP), sector at Dubai Economy announced a 34 percent increase in trademark files and a 127 percent increase in commercial agency files registered in 2019 compared to the previous year.
Trademark files registered at the CCCP in 2019 reached 5,157 and 50 commercial agency files were also registered during the same period, while the figures were 3,844 and 22, respectively, in 2018. US brands led in terms of trademark files registered in 2019 with 1,585 files, or 31 percent of the total. The UAE was next with 818 files (16 percent), while German brands went up by seven percent to 373 files. France, Britain, Italy, Switzerland, Japan, British Virgin Islands, India, China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Canada were also among the top 15 source countries for files registered in 2019.
Mohammed Ali Rashed Lootah, CEO of CCCP, said, “The rising number of trademarks and agencies registered shows the importance of Dubai Economy not only in attracting the best and highest-quality brands from around the world but also in providing multi-channel intellectual property protection. The 34 percent increase in trademark files also indicates brand owners recognising the importance of the retail sector and purchasing power in Dubai, as well as the healthy competition among them and their confidence in Dubai Economy in protecting their rights.”
The Intellectual Property Protection Department in Dubai Economy received 298 complaints relating to trademark infringement in 2019, which was a marginal increase of one percent in comparison to 2018. Meanwhile, infringement cases from commercial agencies showed a decline of 17 percent, from 42 to 35, between 2018 and 2019.
US trademarks were involved in 58 of the trademark infringement complaints in 2019, while Emirati and French brands were involved in 43 cases.
Perfumes were the leading category of goods involved in complaints (35 cases). This was followed by cosmetics (32), personal care products (30) jewellery, clothes, phones, accessories (28 cases each), bags and leather products (14), motor and machinery (11), eye glasses (10), foods (8), advertising, restaurants (seven each) watches and auto parts (six each).
The CCCP encourages consumers to report any incidents of fraud or counterfeiting through its consumer protection channels.