Alcoholic beverage brands can now obtain more direct trademark protection in the UAE.
The UAE Trademark Office has begun accepting applications in Class 33 of the Nice Classification, the international category covering alcoholic beverages other than beer.
For brand owners in the wine, spirits, liqueurs and alcoholic cocktail sectors, this is a meaningful development.
Historically, the absence of Class 33 from ordinary UAE trademark filing practice meant that international alcohol brands often had to rely on alternative filing strategies to obtain protection around their commercial activities.
The opening of Class 33 changes that.
Brand owners can now seek registration in the classification specifically designed for their products.
What Does Class 33 Cover?
Under the Nice Classification system, Class 33 generally covers alcoholic beverages other than beer.
This includes products such as:
- wine;
- spirits;
- whisky;
- vodka;
- gin;
- rum;
- liqueurs;
- alcoholic cocktails;
- alcoholic preparations for making beverages; and
- other qualifying alcoholic drinks.
Beer is different.
It falls within Class 32, not Class 33.
This distinction is important because trademark classification is based on the particular goods and services for which protection is sought.
A beverage group selling beer, wine and spirits may therefore require protection across more than one class.
Why Was This Previously a Problem?
Internationally, alcohol brands commonly register their core products in Class 33.
In the UAE, however, Class 33 was historically unavailable in practice for ordinary trademark registration of alcoholic beverages.
As a result, brand owners often adopted alternative strategies.
These could include protecting:
- non-alcoholic beverages in Class 32;
- hospitality or bar-related services in Class 43;
- merchandising or related goods in other classes; or
- broader aspects of the brand portfolio that could be registered even where the alcoholic product itself could not.
Those registrations could still provide useful protection.
But they were not the same as having the alcoholic beverage itself registered directly in the appropriate class.
The new approach therefore closes an important gap between UAE trademark protection and the international classification system.
Beer Is Also Relevant to the Change
The development is not limited to Class 33.
Historically, alcohol-specific terminology could also create difficulties even where the product technically belonged within another class.
Beer, for example, belongs in Class 32 under the Nice Classification.
The new approach reportedly allows alcohol-specific wording to be used more directly under the correct classification.
That means a beer brand should generally look to Class 32, while a wine or spirits brand should consider Class 33.
Brand owners should therefore avoid assuming that every alcoholic product belongs in the newly opened class.
Should Existing Alcohol Brands File Again?
For many established brands, the answer may be yes.
A company may already hold UAE registrations covering:
- Class 32;
- Class 43;
- merchandising;
- retail services;
- promotional activities; or
- other parts of its brand portfolio.
Those registrations do not automatically become unnecessary.
They may continue to protect commercially important parts of the business.
However, where the core product is wine, spirits or another Class 33 beverage, the brand owner should now consider whether a new Class 33 application is needed to obtain direct product protection.
The key question is:
Does the existing UAE trademark portfolio protect the product the business is actually selling?
If not, the opening of Class 33 provides an opportunity to address that gap.
Why Early Filing May Matter
Trademark systems generally reward early filing.
Once a class becomes available, international brands may begin reviewing and expanding their UAE portfolios.
That can create competition for marks that were previously not registered in the relevant class.
Existing brand owners should therefore consider whether delaying a Class 33 filing creates unnecessary risk.
This is particularly important for:
- international wine labels;
- whisky and spirits brands;
- premium liqueurs;
- cocktail brands;
- regional distributors;
- hospitality groups with proprietary beverage labels; and
- businesses planning future UAE market entry.
A company does not necessarily need to wait until it begins large-scale sales before considering trademark protection.
Brand protection is often most effective when secured before commercial expansion.
Trademark Registration Does Not Authorise Alcohol Sales
This distinction is essential.
Registering an alcoholic beverage trademark does not itself give the owner permission to import, distribute, advertise or sell alcohol in the UAE.
Trademark law and alcohol regulation perform different functions.
A trademark registration protects the brand.
The lawful commercialisation of alcohol remains subject to the applicable:
- licensing requirements;
- import rules;
- distribution controls;
- advertising restrictions;
- emirate-level regulations; and
- other regulatory requirements.
A company may therefore own a valid Class 33 trademark while still needing separate regulatory approvals before using that mark commercially in connection with alcohol.
Brand protection and market authorisation should be treated as separate legal workstreams.
What About International Brand Owners?
The development is particularly important for global beverage companies.
Many international groups structure trademark portfolios around the Nice Classification and expect Class 33 to form part of their standard protection strategy.
The UAE’s acceptance of the class makes regional portfolio management more straightforward.
It also brings the UAE closer to other GCC jurisdictions that permit Class 33 registrations.
For businesses managing rights across multiple countries, greater classification consistency can make it easier to:
- coordinate filings;
- monitor renewals;
- structure licensing arrangements;
- enforce rights; and
- manage regional brand expansion.
What Should Brand Owners Review?
Alcohol and beverage companies should consider conducting a targeted UAE trademark review.
That review should address:
Existing registrations
Identify which UAE classes currently protect the brand and whether those registrations remain commercially useful.
Product coverage
Determine whether the actual alcoholic beverage is now capable of direct protection in Class 33.
Beer portfolios
Ensure beer products are correctly considered under Class 32 rather than automatically included in Class 33.
Unregistered brands
Identify important product names, sub-brands or labels that may not yet be protected in the UAE.
Future launches
Consider filing before introducing new products into the UAE market.
Regional portfolios
Review whether GCC trademark protection is consistent across the jurisdictions where the brand operates or intends to operate.
Part of a Wider Trademark Modernisation
The opening of Class 33 also sits within a broader period of change in the UAE trademark system.
Recent reforms have focused on:
- modernising classification;
- accelerating examination;
- restructuring trademark services;
- improving digital procedures; and
- strengthening the UAE’s position as a regional intellectual property hub.
Allowing Class 33 registrations is therefore significant beyond the alcohol sector.
It reflects a trademark system becoming more closely aligned with the classifications and filing strategies used by international rights holders.
Conclusion
The UAE’s acceptance of Class 33 applications represents an important change for wine, spirits and other alcoholic beverage brands.
For the first time, many brand owners can seek direct UAE trademark protection in the international class specifically intended for their products.
Existing Class 32, Class 43 or other registrations may still remain valuable, but they should now be reviewed alongside the opportunity for direct Class 33 protection.
The practical message for brand owners is straightforward:
If alcoholic beverages form part of your UAE or regional portfolio, this is the time to reassess whether your trademark registrations protect the products you actually sell.
Al Kabban & Associates
For businesses seeking guidance, Al Kabban & Associates, with over 30 years of experience in UAE law and recognition by Legal 500, stands ready to help corporations build resilience against legal risks while ensuring compliance with local and international standards. For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact us at +971 4 453 9090 or visit www.alkabban.com. You can also follow us on social media for more updates on everything law related in the UAE: @Alkabban_Law
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