Q: Morning. I would like to open a high-end bespoke shoe service. Customers will be able to book an appointment online thru the website, I will go to their homes to advise the model/colour/type of the shoe and finalise the order. I will then order from a shoemaker in Argentina who will deliver the final product to Dubai. My idea is to get an online trading licence in a free zone to do the consultancy part and partner with someone with a mainland licence who will import the shoes and sell to the customer. I would like to double check the following: - Can I take care of the marketing and order taking with my licence, and resell through a reseller? - Do I need to establish a contract between myself and the reseller? Thanks for your advice

Q: Hi, I'm starting a food import company in mainland UAE where my Emirati partner (a close friend) will have 20% and I will have 80%. We're gonna take care of the company creation in DED and trade license application. At which stage are we supposed to draft the ''side agreement'' and sign the power of attorney? Can we create a company where I will have 49% of the shares and register it with DED and then draft the side agreement (80% - 20%) and power of attorney in a second step? Thank you

Q: Hello, I read the law 2011 Article 14 & Article 23 that says a branch of a free zone company in the UAE is allowed to conduct business on the mainland if I get a license and open a branch. I just want to confirm, I have a Free Zone company in the UAE and I sell to other countries right now. I want to begin selling in Dubai. If I get a license from DED and open a branch on the mainland, will I be allowed to sell the clients directly or I will be allowed to sell just distributors in Dubai? And do I need a local sponsor for this case or a Local Service agent is enough? Regards

Q: Hi there, We're based in Sharjah Media City Free Zone. Our question is: We are selling a digital marketing service. Our clients love it. We are writing artificial reviews and posting them as genuine user reviews. Some sellers have been sued in the USA. I wonder what the UAE legislation on this part is, and would we face the same risk? Thank you!

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, We are a Dubai-based LLC that purchased merchandise from another Dubai-based LLC. The stock was delivered in Hong Kong for our Asia business. This transaction occurred between two Dubai firms and was out of scope. However, upon inspection, the goods were found to be inauthentic. We have given the supplier several weeks to provide evidence of their authenticity, but they have failed to do so. Tests conducted in China and Hong Kong have confirmed their inauthenticity. We are seeking a refund of €83,655 for the goods, as well as reimbursement for additional warehousing and shipping costs totaling approximately €15,000 since January. We possess all necessary evidence, including communications with the supplier wherein they confirmed the authenticity of the goods, as outlined in the contract terms and their invoice. Selling inauthentic goods is considered a criminal offense in some countries, and we cannot afford to be associated with such practices, resulting in significant losses for our business.

Sometimes this seems very simple to incorporate a company in the UAE, however, investors must seek professional advice before taking this important business decision to avoid any future legal implications.

For entrepreneurs seeking to set up their business in the mainland jurisdiction of the UAE, this is a useful guide to know your rights and obligations.

Trademark is a type of intellectual property that is used as a means of identification of the business. It can be any word, figure, signature... etc. that can be used to either distinguish the goods and services or to indicate its origin. In this article, we introduce the requirements, procedures and timeline for trademark registration.

The provisions of this Law apply to the commercial companies established in the UAE and the foreign companies that have established in the UAE a base to conduct any activity therein or established a branch or representative office. The Law abrogates Federal Law No. (8) of 1984 Concerning Commercial Companies.

UAE Trademark Law creates the legal framework for the protection of registered trademarks in the UAE. The law includes the definition of trademark, signs that cannot be registered as trademarks, registration and cancellation procedures, sanctions for unlawful use of trademarks, and so on.

This Ministerial Decision regulates the implementation of the provisions of the UAE Trademark Law. It determines classes of goods and services and sets up the procedures for registration, renewal, modification, cancellation, licensing, transfer of ownership and mortgage of trademarks.

The provisions of this Federal Decree-Law, known as the "New Trademarks Law", govern Trademarks regulations in the United Arab Emirates. The New Trademarks Law repeals the previous UAE Trademarks Law (Federal Law No. (37) of 1992 Concerning Trademarks).