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Dubai Customs to launch e-portal on IPRs in ME

DUBAI — Dubai Customs is to soon launch the first government e-portal on intellectual property rights (IPR) in the Middle East with the participation of several ministries, authorities and federal departments.

The unified platform, featuring local and international IPR regulations, as well as adopted procedures and activities, was announced on Monday on the sideline of the department’s celebration of the World Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Day which saw the presence of senior officials, consuls, dignitaries and trademark owners.

Ahmed Butti, the Executive Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone, said the domain, which is open to the public, also includes detailed information on IPR violations and seizures.

Dubai Customs, in a bid to enhance IPR awareness, launched an annual award for schools in cooperation with the Ministry of Education five years ago. “Some 13 government and private schools in the UAE participated in the award’s last cycle,” said Butti, who is also the Director-General of Dubai Customs.

A similar award for universities and colleges was launched recently to increase the participation of the targeted groups and encourage students’ creativity. Ahmed Mahboub Musabih, the Executive Director of the Clients Management division, said Dubai Customs spotted 689 IPR infringements worth Dh31 million in 2010 against 393 in 2009 valued at Dh24 million — representing 75 per cent growth.

“The first quarter of 2011 saw 148 seizures as compared to 151 in the first quarter of 2010,” he said.

The rise was basically attributed to the growing vigilance of Dubai Customs’ inspectors who go through regular, intensive and sophisticated training courses that have enabled them to competently spot fake products.

Meanwhile, the IPR seizures included in most the easy to counterfeit and sell products, and those spanned many. “However, the majority of the forged item captured in 2010 were medicines, clothes, bags, glasses, watches, shoes, cell phones, auto spare parts, and electronics,” he said.

Last year, Dubai Customs managed to thwart three big hauls to smuggle seven million counterfeited pills, 1.5 million packs of personal care products, apart from 48,166 pirated video games worth Dh4.8 million.

Recent statistics released by the international chamber of commerce, showed that the global economy incurs annual loss of around $600 billion.
— ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com