UAE Strengthens Global IP Position by Joining the Locarno Agreement on Industrial Designs

In a major step toward standardizing its intellectual property (IP) framework and promoting global design protection, the United Arab Emirates has officially acceded to the Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs.

The announcement was made during the 68th Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), held in Geneva from July 7 to 15, 2026, where the UAE delegation was led by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism.

What is the Locarno Agreement?

Concluded in 1968 and administered by WIPO, the Locarno Agreement creates a unified, internationally recognized system for classifying goods incorporating industrial designs.

Under the treaty, national IP offices of contracting states apply a structured set of classes and subclasses to registered industrial designs. This standardization allows creators, companies, and legal practitioners to:

• Streamline Searches & Prior Art Checks: Search across multiple international jurisdictions using a single, unified taxonomy.
• Simplify Cross-Border Registration: Facilitate design protection strategies across global markets without navigating conflicting local classification systems.
• Enhance Legal Certainty: Improve comparability and examination consistency among member offices.

Strategic Significance for the UAE Innovation Landscape

Minister Al Marri emphasized that accession to the Locarno Agreement marks a significant milestone in expanding the UAE’s national intellectual property ecosystem. The move directly aligns with the country’s strategic roadmap, “We the UAE 2031,” which aims to position the nation as a global hub for the new economy, innovation, and creative industries.

Addressing the WIPO assembly, Minister Al Marri highlighted that the UAE’s legislative framework encompassing industrial property, trademarks, copyright, and trade secrets is designed to provide a secure institutional environment for start-ups, entrepreneurs, and multinational enterprises.

Broader Momentum in UAE Intellectual Property

The accession comes amidst unprecedented growth in IP filing activity across the Emirates. According to official data from the Ministry of Economy and Tourism for the first half of 2026:

• Trademarks: Over 17,210 national and international trademark registrations were recorded in H1 2026 alone.
• Patents & Utility Models: Patent filings rose by approximately 12% compared to the same period in 2025, while utility certificate applications grew by 7.14%.
• Copyrights: Registrations for creative and intellectual works saw a 35.4% surge year-over-year.

Over the past three years, the Ministry has introduced more than 60 specialized IP initiatives including the regional launch of digital platforms like the Trademarks Market helping the UAE maintain its position as the top-ranked Arab nation in the Global Innovation Index for the sixth consecutive year (ranking 30th globally).

What This Means for Brand Owners and Innovators

For domestic businesses and international rights holders operating in the UAE, the adoption of the Locarno Classification will streamline the industrial design filing process, lower administrative barriers, and strengthen enforceability against design infringement.

As the UAE continues to align its statutory and administrative frameworks with WIPO standards, inventors and businesses can leverage a increasingly robust mechanism to protect their aesthetic innovations both locally and internationally.