According to the annual report on IP released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on 20 April 2021, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been officially removed from the USA’s watch list due to the continued improvement this country has achieved by tackling IP enforcement issues.
The annual report of USTR comprises feedback from more than 100 United States companies. These companies express their concerns about intellectual property (IP) rights protection and enforcement issues around the world. Regarding the UAE, the report has shown that the UAE has made enough progress to be clear from their watchlist revolving around IP enforcement.
The highlights of the IP enforcement System in the UAE
The UAE has one of the most developed IP enforcement systems in the region. Not satisfied just in Western Asia, the UAE is continually striving to strengthen and bolster sufficient and efficient protection for IP rights.
To be able to strive on the world stage, many awareness programs have been researched, conducted, and put into practice by authorities. Furthermore, the UAE has completed many cutting-edge technologies to help with the fight against violations of intellectual property rights
These methods have considerably assisted the UAE’s fight against the IP infringement problem and especially, in the anti-counterfeiting battle.
These achievements are part of the UAE Vision 2021 for economic competitiveness and innovation.
Details of the UAE’s improvement
The battle against counterfeiting products is becoming increasingly more important, especially in the Covid-19 crisis. Therefore, in order to put an end to the counterfeiting activities, several governmental entities have collaborated closely together. Specifically, The Ministry of Health and Prevention had actively tackle IP concerns, especially about pharmaceutical products.
The Dubai Customs and Federal Customs
One of the most valuable organizations that contribute to the goal of stopping IP infringement is the Dubai Customs. They have implemented community awareness campaigns, along with the deployment of new technologies and workshops for customs officers in collaboration with brand owners and other authorities to thoroughly detect counterfeit products.
Furthermore, the annual Intellectual property enforcement statistics, published by the Federal Customs, also help with the goal of UAE by increasing transparency in the system. The 2019 report showed that the number of seizures has expanded to 67 compared to 63 seizures in 2018. The number of seizures made through shipments in 2019 grew considerably compared to 2018. Counterfeit handbags and wallets were 29.85% while counterfeit mobiles phones and accessories used up 11.94% of the total of the seized goods.
The Ajman Department of Economic Development
Another organization, the Ajman Department of Economic Development (ADED) has also actively contributed to the snatch of counterfeit products. The ADED’s action has helped to decrease the availability of counterfeits in the Ajman China Mall, a famous counterfeits destination.
The ADED has also set up an online filing system paving the way towards replacing all manual procedures. After the system was launched, there was a notable rise in the complaints received.
In 2020, the ADED conducted 6,044 inspection visits to shops and markets. Not only to seize counterfeits, but these inspections have also raised the awareness of 565 establishments and alerted 384 establishments which helped to reduce their activities in their sectors. Furthermore, the ADED has also recorded 167 violations and closed 23 establishments in the same period.
The Dubai Police
The Dubai Police has also performed an essential role in the battle against counterfeit products. The Department of Anti-Economic Crimes within the Dubai Police seized 2,430 suspects and reported 2,145 economic criminal cases over the past 5 years. Moreover, the department has also made confiscations with an estimated value exceeding Dh8.966 billion.
A new future for the UAE
Despite the pandemic restrictions and the negative impacts of the Covid-19 crisis, enforcement authorities still set out to carry out raids and seizures of counterfeit products. This is because the UAE has recognized the importance of IP protection for a long time and they acknowledged its contribution to the economic and cultural developments in the country. The UAE realized that its enforcement system has not achieved perfection yet, there are still some enforcement challenges in some areas. Nevertheless, they are still striving to enhance the country’s enforcement systems.
You can see a list of UAE IP firms here.