Trademark Registration
A trademark protects your brand and gives you exclusive rights to use your name, logo, or slogan. In first-to-file markets like the UAE, GCC, and Europe, registering early is essential to prevent others from claiming your mark.
We provide complete trademark support — from searches and registration to oppositions, multi-country filings, and renewals — ensuring strong, long-term brand protection.
01
Trademark Clearance
Search
02
Trademark Filing & Prosecution
03
Multi-Country & Madrid System Filing
04
Trademark Watching & Opposition
Ongoing monitoring of new trademark applications that may conflict with your registered marks. We alert you to potentially conflicting applications and file oppositions on your behalf to defend your trademark rights.
Trademark Registration Process
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why is early trademark registration important in markets like the UAE and GCC?
The UAE, GCC and most European markets operate on a first-to-file basis — meaning trademark rights are granted to whoever files first, not whoever uses the mark first. Registering early is essential to prevent competitors from claiming your brand name, logo, or slogan. Without registration, your brand can be legally used or registered by another party, leaving you with no recourse to protect it.
Q2: Do I need to register my trademark separately in every country?
A trademark registered in one country provides no protection in others, as trademark rights are territorial. However, the Madrid Protocol (WIPO) allows businesses to file one international application and designate multiple member countries simultaneously — making it a cost-effective solution for global brand protection. For UAE and most GCC countries, separate national filings are still required. QRServes assesses your target markets and recommends the most efficient multi-country filing strategy.
Q3: What happens if a trademark application is refused or opposed?
Refusals and oppositions are common and not necessarily final. Absolute grounds refusals (e.g., the mark is too descriptive or generic) can often be overcome with legal arguments or evidence of acquired distinctiveness. Relative grounds refusals (conflict with an earlier mark) may require negotiation, co-existence agreements, or appeals. Early clearance searches significantly reduce the risk of refusal. QRServes handles all responses, appeals, and opposition proceedings to maximise the chances of successful registration.
Q4: Can a trademark protect logos, slogans, colours, or shapes — not just names?
Yes. Trademarks can protect a wide range of brand elements including logos, stylised text, slogans and taglines, specific Pantone colours associated with a brand, distinctive 3D product shapes, sound marks, and even scent marks in some jurisdictions. The key requirement is that the mark must be distinctive — capable of identifying your goods or services as originating from you. QRServes advises on the full scope of protection appropriate for your brand assets.
Q5: How long does trademark protection last and does it need renewal?
Trademark registration is valid for 10 years from the filing date in virtually all jurisdictions and can be renewed indefinitely every 10 years, provided the mark continues to be used in commerce. This makes trademarks potentially perpetual intellectual property — unlike patents (20 years) or copyright (life + 70 years). Failure to renew results in loss of registered trademark status. QRServes provides renewal reminders and manages the renewal process to ensure protection never lapses.
