The UAE has introduced fee exemptions for student inventors and People of Determination across 29 industrial property services, in a move aimed at lowering the cost of protecting innovations and encouraging wider participation in the country’s intellectual property ecosystem.

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MOET) reviewed Cabinet Resolution No. 136 of 2026, which provides the exemptions as part of efforts to strengthen the UAE’s innovation environment, improve access to intellectual property (IP) protection services and support the development of new ideas into commercially viable assets.

The ministry began implementing the resolution on September 14, 2026.

Fee waivers cover 29 industrial property services

The resolution provides a full exemption from fees for 29 services. Of these, 11 are available to both student inventors and People of Determination, covering applications for patents, industrial designs, integrated circuit layouts and utility certificates, a WAM report said.

The exemptions also cover the first substantive examination of a utility certificate, its substantive re-examination, publication of registration and annual fees for the second, third, fourth and fifth years of industrial property protection.

The original fees for these services range from Dhs100 to Dhs1,000.

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A further nine services are exempt from fees for People of Determination, with the original charges ranging from Dhs1,000 to Dhs9,000. Another nine services are covered for student inventors, with fees previously ranging from Dhs500 to Dhs4,500.

The measures are intended to reduce the financial barriers to protecting inventions and help students and People of Determination safeguard the results of their research projects. They could also support efforts to develop those innovations into industrial property assets with potential for further development and investment.

UAE strengthens intellectual property framework

Dr Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini, assistant undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector at MOET, said the resolution reflects the UAE’s commitment to fostering creativity and innovation by making it easier for eligible inventors to register their work and protect their rights.

He said the measures would support their participation in the national IP ecosystem, improve access to services and enable them to benefit from available support mechanisms, contributing to the UAE’s ambition to become a global hub for creativity and the new economy.

Al Muaini also highlighted the country’s efforts to develop a comprehensive legislative and regulatory framework for industrial property rights, including patents and industrial designs, in line with international best practices and standards.

These efforts include the Federal Law on the Regulation and Protection of Industrial Property Rights and the UAE’s accession to the Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs. The initiatives are intended to strengthen IP protection and create a supportive environment for inventors, entrepreneurs and businesses.

Digital services support growing demand

The ministry is also working to enhance the digital infrastructure underpinning IP services, including patent, industrial design and utility certificate services.

According to Al Muaini, these developments are designed to improve service efficiency, accelerate registration and protection procedures, and provide a smoother, more flexible experience for inventors, innovators and business owners. The efforts align with the objectives of the UAE’s We the UAE 2031 vision.

Patent applications rise 9% in first half of 2026

The fee exemptions come as the UAE records growth in demand for industrial property protection.

MOET reported a 9 percent increase in patent applications in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. The country received approximately 4,361 patent applications during 2025.

Applications for utility certificates also rose 21.43 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the corresponding period a year earlier.

The total number of patent, utility certificate and industrial design applications registered in the country has reached 22,184 to date, according to the ministry.

The figures point to growing interest among innovators and companies in protecting their industrial property rights. By reducing service costs for eligible applicants, the new exemptions aim to make that protection more accessible and encourage innovation across the UAE.

The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) has announced major road upgrades in Mussafah, aiming to ease congestion, improve road safety and strengthen connectivity between the industrial area, Mohamed Bin Zayed City and Zayed City.

The project will cover approximately 13 kilometres along E30 and 8th Street, improving traffic flow and reducing travel times for commuters and businesses operating across the area.

A key component of the project is a new free-flowing highway along 8th Street, featuring three lanes in each direction. Three additional lanes on either side will provide access to nearby shops and amenities while keeping local traffic separate from expressway movements.

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The upgraded street is expected to accommodate approximately 4,000 vehicles per hour, according to a WAM report.

The project also includes upgrades to four interchanges along E30, improved connections with 8th Street and E20, and modifications to nine major junctions. Two new bridges are planned between Mussafah and Mohamed Bin Zayed City, alongside a dedicated pedestrian bridge.

Infrastructure to support economic growth

Engineer Eisa Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Director-General of Infrastructure Development at DMT, said the improvements would address the needs of commuters, businesses and local road users.

“Mussafah’s road network serves residents travelling to work, businesses moving goods and people making local journeys throughout the day. Planning for these different needs is essential to the area’s continued growth,” he said.

By separating through-traffic from local access and improving links with neighbouring communities, the project aims to support economic activity while making daily journeys safer and more convenient.

Al Mazrouei added that the approach would also prepare the road network for future connections, ensuring current infrastructure decisions support Abu Dhabi’s long-term development.

The Mussafah upgrades form part of broader efforts to strengthen transport links across Abu Dhabi. Other planned infrastructure includes a two-tunnel undersea link connecting the eastern tip of Abu Dhabi Island to Mussafah, passing beneath Khor Al Maqta and the Al Hudayriyat Island channel.

Together, the planned improvements are intended to enhance connectivity, support commercial movement and accommodate the emirate’s future transport needs.

BP cancelled its attendance at the World Petroleum Council Energy Congress in Riyadh, a company spokesperson said on Sunday, after a missile attack on Riyadh’s international airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.

The airport has been closed since the attack on Saturday. Saudi authorities reported that people were injured in another attack on the airport on Sunday.

The five-day international energy conference went ahead as scheduled on Sunday at a convention centre about 10km from Riyadh airport, the Saudi energy ministry said.

BP CEO Meg O’Neill had appeared on previous agendas for the conference.

“We made every effort to participate in WPC. Unfortunately, due to travel disruption, we are unable to be there in person. We greatly value our longstanding partnerships across the region,” a BP spokesperson said.

Saudi signs energy cooperation deals with Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt

Meanwhile, the event has still gone ahead with Saudi Arabia’s energy minister having signed three memorandums of understanding with Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt to strengthen energy cooperation, the Saudi state news agency reported on Sunday.

The agreement with Qatar sets a framework for collaboration in petroleum, natural gas and petrochemicals, including exploring joint opportunities to develop pipelines for transport and exports.

Flight disruptions across Saudi Arabia intensified on Monday with hundreds of cancellations reported at three of the kingdom’s busiest airports following a series of deadly attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Data from Flightradar24, reviewed by Gulf Business at approximately 5.30am Saudi time, showed 436 flights cancelled at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, equivalent to 64 per cent of scheduled services.

Read more: Riyadh airport closure extended as authorities assess safety following deadly attacks

At Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport, 115 flights were listed as cancelled, representing 15 per cent of services, while Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport recorded 63 cancellations, or 27 per cent.

The figures followed widespread disruption on Sunday, when Riyadh recorded 655 cancellations, equivalent to 98 per cent of scheduled flights. This comes amid operations being temporarily suspended at the airport following an attack that killed 12 and injured 309 on Saturday.

Jeddah reported 158 cancellations and 393 delays, while Dammam recorded 58 cancellations and 115 delays.

Across the three airports, the tracking data showed 871 cancellation listings on Sunday and a further 614 for Monday. The airport-level figures may include some overlap for flights connecting the three hubs.

Umrah pilgrims caught in disruption

The disruption has also affected religious travel, with Umrah pilgrims among those caught in the attacks and subsequent flight cancellations.

Footage released by Saudi state television showed scores of pilgrims preparing to board flights at Riyadh airport on Saturday when a strike triggered panic inside the terminal.

Bangladesh’s expatriates’ welfare ministry said approximately 500 Bangladeshi passengers had been stranded in Riyadh following the attack.

Riyadh airport has faced repeated attacks in recent days, including a strike on Saturday that killed 13 people and injured more than 300.
A further attack on Sunday struck Terminal 4, killing one person and injuring 11 others, according to Saudi aviation authorities.

Dammam airport was also targeted on Sunday evening. Saudi authorities said damage assessments and safety inspections were under way.

UAE airlines extend cancellations

The disruption has spread to international airline networks, including services connecting Saudi Arabia with the UAE.

Etihad Airways has listed cancellations affecting selected flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam through Tuesday, October 13.

Emirates has also cancelled selected flights between Dubai and Saudi destinations, while flydubai has extended cancellations on its Riyadh routes until October 14.

Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Dubai has meanwhile arranged buses to transport Saudi citizens stranded in the UAE following the flight cancellations.

International carriers have also adjusted their schedules. Lufthansa Group previously announced the suspension of Riyadh flights through October 16, while several Indian airlines have cancelled services.

The US Federal Aviation Administration has issued a safety advisory urging US operators to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi Arabia, citing military activity and potential interference with navigation systems. The advisory remains effective until December 10.

A fire broke out at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday after an unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4, marking yet another attack on the Saudi capital’s main international airport.

The Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said the projectile hit the passenger terminal, triggering a fire that emergency teams were responding to.

The coalition also reported that Saudi air defences had intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile in the vicinity of the airport.

Later on Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) also confirmed the incident, saying the “assault resulted in injuries”. GACA added that a damage assessment is underway with the coordination of specialised authorities.

The latest incident comes just a day after a devastating missile attack on the same airport killed 12 people and injured 309 others, some critically.

GACA said Saturday’s fatalities included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals and one person each from the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

The authority said the wounded were receiving treatment at several hospitals, while assessments of damage to airport infrastructure were continuing.

Airport operations had already been suspended following Saturday’s attack, causing widespread disruption to flights serving Riyadh. The airport remained closed on Sunday as authorities dealt with the latest incident.

The latest attack follows a series of strikes targeting Saudi aviation infrastructure in recent days, including earlier attacks on King Khalid International Airport and Abha International Airport.

The Saudi-led coalition has blamed Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group for the recent escalation and pledged to respond to attacks on civilian facilities.

The Houthis have also renewed warnings to international airlines and passengers against using Saudi airports and airspace, citing ongoing military operations.

However, the coalition had not identified who was responsible for Sunday’s projectile strike at the time of its initial announcement.