Trademark Registration in Israel for UAE and Other Persian Gulf Companies
Until recently, UAE and other Persian Gulf countries were not interested in trademark registration in Israel, due to the lack of economic relations. The 2020 peace agreement between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain completely changes this situation. Now many companies from these countries are interested in conducting business activity in Israel. Yet, in order to set up business in Israel, it is important to defend their intellectual property (IP) rights and register their trademarks. In this article, Advocate Tal Ofir, an expert in trademark law, will explain how register a trademark and IP in Israel.
Our law offices specialize in trademark law and IP protection for local and international firms. The offices assist and represent clients in trademark registration and other legal proceedings before the Israeli trademark office and the Israeli courts.
Why Don’t Most UAE and Persian Gulf Companies Register Trademarks in Israel (Yet)?
There are many international companies located in the Persian Gulf, and particularly the UAE that never operated in Israel, due to the lack of official relations between the countries. These include airline companies like Etihad Airways and Emirates Group, as well as large energy companies like TAQA, ADNOC and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. The list also includes companies from the fields of finance, investment, etc.
Due to lack of economic relations, most of those companies did not attempt to protect their IP rights in Israel, and avoided trademark registration. However, this situation is expected to change soon, as the peace agreement and removal of the UAE economic boycott of Israel cause more and more companies from those countries to enter the Israeli market.
Why is Trademark Registration in Israel Important for United Arab Emirates and Persian Gulf Companies?
In general, trademark registration is limited to a specific territory. Thus, for foreign corporations it is not enough to register their trademarks in their countries, in order to obtain trademark protection elsewhere. It is important for companies that are planning on operating in Israel to register their trademarks here. The registration will allow those companies to operate more freely in Israel, and to be able to act against infringement of their brands.
How to Register a Trademark in Israel?
First of all, it is important to ensure that the mark is not already taken or infringing rights of other trademark owners. After taking those initial measures, a trademark application can be submitted to the Israeli Trademark Office. It is worth noting that the proceedings for trademark registration in Israel became more efficient in recent years. It is now possible to file a trademark application online.
However, it is not recommended to register a trademark without having the relevant legal background. Acting without being familiar with the Israeli trademark law may lead to undesired consequences, and even to the loss of protection that may have been granted to the trademark otherwise. An attorney who practices in trademark law and commercial law will be able to help you to protect your company’s trademarks properly, and to prevent such undesired consequences.
Contact Us
Our law offices specialize in trademark law and protection of IP rights for local and international corporations. If you are interested in getting more information and assistance regarding trademark registration in Israel for UAE and Persian Gulf firms, our attorneys are available to help. You may contact us via the email or phone numbers listed below.
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