The United Arab Emirates and the United States have signed an agreement to fast-track the patent process in the Emirates. Under this new framework, the UAE will now recognize positive examination results from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). 

“For patent applicants, whether individual inventors or businesses, the most direct advantage of this agreement is a significantly expedited patent granting process in the UAE,” said Jehad Ali Hasan, CEO of JAH Intellectual Property in Doha. “When an invention has already secured a patent from the highly respected USPTO, the UAE patent office can leverage that rigorous examination, thereby considerably reducing the need for a duplicative, independent examination in the UAE.”

“This acceleration means innovations can obtain patent protection in the UAE much faster, facilitating quicker market entry and commercialization,” he explained. “The agreement provides a higher degree of certainty that a corresponding application in the UAE will proceed efficiently to grant, building confidence for innovators. For patent holders, faster granting enables quicker enforcement of their rights against any infringement in the UAE, ensuring more robust protection for their intellectual assets. Overall, this collaboration facilitates a more efficient and coherent global intellectual property strategy for companies operating or seeking protection in both the U.S. and UAE.”

In the coming months and years, the partnership between the UAE and the U.S. is expected to yield several important developments and impacts, according to Mohcine Fattah, an IP senior director at the same firm. “Firstly, the streamlined process is expected to encourage a notable increase in patent filings in the UAE, especially from innovators who have already pursued a U.S. patent strategy, thereby contributing to a higher volume of patents granted within the Emirates,” he said. “This acceleration of patent grants will significantly bolster the UAE’s innovation ecosystem, aligning with its strategic objectives to emerge as a leading knowledge-based economy and a regional hub for research, development, and intellectual property.”

He added: “The agreement could also serve as a blueprint for similar patent prosecution highway (PPH) or other work-sharing agreements between the UAE and other prominent patent offices globally, reflecting the UAE’s proactive stance in strengthening international IP cooperation.”

- Excel V. Dyquiangco