Dubai Customs has showcased its experience in combating IPR infringements at the 3rd Convention for Combating Intellectual Property Crimes, hosted by the Emirates Intellectual Property Association on November 24 and 25, 2013. In 2005, Dubai Customs has founded the first ever department for IPR protection in all departments and customs administrations in the Middle East.
During the Convention, Yousif Al Sahlawi, Senior Executive Director of Corporate Affairs at Dubai Customs, said:” Counterfeiting and piracy are one of today’s major crimes that negatively impact people’s physical and mental health, before affecting the global and local economies. The phenomenon is no longer limited to a certain country, but has become a global one that affects all countries, in the light of recent openness in global markets”.
He added that Dubai Customs plays the role of facilitating movement of goods and passengers through top-notch services and facilitations, while working on ensuring the protection of the community and the economy by foiling smuggling attempts of all kinds. Being the first line of defense, Dubai Customs inspectors have a high security sense, which guarantees the implementation of the Compliance and Facilitation Policy in customs operations.
Al Sahlawi emphasized that Dubai Customs IPR protection efforts help realize the Department’s vision of becoming the leading customs administration in the world supporting legitimate trade, in fulfillment of the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the world’s leading destination for finance and business.
“During the period from January to October, 2013, measures taken by Dubai Customs to foil bids to smuggle goods infringing intellectual property rights, succeeded in making 168 seizures of counterfeit goods, worth over AED 12mn. During the same period of time, 122 complaints were submitted by trademark owners and 218 trademarks were registered at Dubai Customs,” Al Sahlawi elaborated.
He added that the UAE’s efforts in combating counterfeiting and piracy have led to the creation of a favorable environment for global investments and trademarks in all fields. He said:” We are keen on collaborating with local government departments and federal ministries concerned with intellectual property. Dubai Customs has taken the initiative to form a work team with the participation of members from these departments and ministries, in addition to authorities and commerce chambers in the country, with the aim of coordinating government efforts in protecting IPR. The team won the DGEP Award 2008 for the Unified Work Team category.”
He further stressed that Dubai Customs is committed to raise awareness of customs inspectors and make them more competent in protecting intellectual property, enabling them to differentiate between authentic and counterfeit goods to seize the later. Specialized technical courses are regularly carried out, in cooperation with Brand Owners´ Protection Group and international IPR and trademark experts.
Al Sahlawi added that Dubai Customs IPR protection efforts are not restricted to seizing counterfeit materials at customs points, but also include the organization of workshops and awareness lectures to educate the society on the potential risks to consumer health and safety presented by counterfeit products, as well as the hazards inflicted upon the national economy and name brands by fraud and counterfeiting. To that end, three IPR protection workshops with participation of 75 persons were hosted and 29 events and lectures were delivered during field visits to schools and universities, and at joint seminars with various government departments.
Dubai Customs IPR Award is organized annually, involving students from UAE schools and universities, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education. The IPR Award contributes to raising students awareness of the efforts to counter infringements to intellectual property rights. Winners are honored in an annual ceremony held on the World Intellectual Property Day.