ABUDHABI: The UAE Ministry of Economy (MoE) and the Brand Owners Protection Group for the GCC and Yemen (BPG) signed yesterday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining their cooperation in the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) and initiatives against commercial fraud and counterfeiting in the UAE.
The move will bring a noticeable change in the market where there are plenty of fake products available.
The MoU will promote a culture of IPR protection throughout UAE society through public visual, audio, and print campaigns; these will highlight the importance of IPR, its protection against abuse, and the negative effects of IPR crimes.
The MoU was signed at the MoE's Abu Dhabi headquarters by Mohammed Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Alshihhi, Undersecretary of the MoE; and Omar Shteiwi, chairman of BPG - GCC and Yemen.
Alshihhi said that the signed agreement aims to promote stronger partnership between the Ministry and the private sector as represented by the BPG. He added that the MoU will identify cooperative mechanisms and coordinate efforts to protect copyright owners in the UAE.
Under the terms of the Memorandum, the BPG will provide legal and technical training to MoE specialists, inspectors, employees, and officials of departments and law enforcement agencies involved in IPR protection efforts that affect the businesses of BPG members. BPG service providers will also cooperate with the Ministry in providing the necessary legal support for law enforcement officials, such as legal analysis and studies.
Alshihhi added that the Memorandum aims to provide full legal and technical support to the Ministry's agencies and partners, especially to inspectors belonging to the judicial police.
