Executive Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation – the Director General of Dubai Customs Ahmed Butti Ahmed emphasized upon the importance of the economic and business relationship with Japan and keenness of UAE in protecting the rights of intellectual properties and worldwide renowned trade marks from the risks of counterfeits and piracy, saying that the Customs Administration in UAE is considerably taking this matter into the top priorities.
In the Seminar which was organized in Tokyo by the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA) last Wednesday, he addressed the attendants learning about the UAE efforts in the field of IPR, saying: the protection of IPR is one of the primordial principles and ground on which UAE stands to fight for maintaining its leading position in the world trades map and protecting investments of many international entities which have voluntarily chosen UAE as a regional base for running business and promoting their products motivated by the facilities, privileges, economic potentials and infrastructures uniquely enjoyed by UAE
H.E. Mr. Ahmed Butti spoke in the Seminar which was attended by a crowed of businessmen and Japanese lawyers explaining that Dubai Customs gives too much attention to IPR within the priorities and objectives of the fifth Strategic Plan 2007 – 2011 with aim of realizing its vision in supporting legitimate international trades activities and maintaining rights of manufacturers and the brands owners materially and morally, meanwhile. His Excellency highlighted that: “these exerted efforts have interestingly contributed into attracting many brand owners to UAE, especially Dubai occupies the third place after London and Tokyo in respect of increasing based numbers of firms and brands owners.
On the other hand, He stressed on the importance of enhancing trades and business ties between UAE and Japan, saying this rapidly notable growing relationship makes Japan a strategic partner to UAE, as the volumes of direct business exchange from non-petroleum revenues recorded in 2009 is around 7.5 US Dollars.
He acknowledged that: in the first half of this current year, Dubai Customs managed to seize 335 IPR infringements in Dubai Customs ports – 16% out of these total seizures were Japanese frauds – equivalent to 54 violations for Japanese brands.
He further enumerated the efforts sought by Dubai Customs in enhancing and enabling protection of IPR, including organization of awareness programs for educating all sectors of the community, training of customs inspectors on skill of detecting fraud and counterfeited commodities and enhancing cooperation with business community to exchange information. In this stream, H.H. stated that Dubai Customs is working on completing a project aiming to enable all companies from electronic registration of the trademarks and submitting complains on violating laws of intellectual property electronically.
Mrs. Narmin Issa – the Manger of the Legal Affairs Dept in Dubai Customs has discussed types of international cooperation and the scientific use of information technology in the field of IPR protection and the role of the IPR Dept and its efforts in controlling counterfeit and piracy.
Ms. Essa called for exerting more efforts to improve aspects of cooperation and coordination between government entities and private sector in controlling counterfeited products and goods along with enlightening the public towards their danger on health and safety and confirmed the necessity of reviewing and developing the statutes relating to protection of intellectual property rights in addition to enhancing development and training in this area.
The laws have introduced the custom duties applied in UAE in respect of intellectual property rights, main international conventions and agreements approved by UAE in this area emphasizing that owners of trademarks should assist in protecting their products from counterfeiting; and this will be achieved through registering the trademarks in the approved entities. Ms. Essa praised UAE local laws which provide legal protection for intellectual property rights such as Trademarks Registration & Protection Law, Composition & Publishing Law and Federal Anti-fraud law in commercial transactions.