The Ministry of Economy has launched a program aimed at enhancing the protection of intellectual property rights, responding to a surge in trademark registrations across the UAE.
Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq announced the IP Ecosystem initiative, emphasizing its role not only in safeguarding the creations of inventors and innovators but also in bolstering growth by attracting greater foreign direct investment. The program aligns with the UAE’s ambition to become a global hub for the new economy and achieve top-tier societal prosperity by 2031.
Bin Touq highlighted the significance of intellectual property in supporting business development, fostering innovation, and elevating the market value of enterprises. The IP Ecosystem program encompasses 11 initiatives, spanning key economic and creative sectors, including support for new technologies and educational awareness campaigns for students.
Key pillars of the program include strengthening IP laws, supporting research and development initiatives, and enhancing ministry services, particularly in artificial intelligence, to promote them as national products for international markets. Bin Touq emphasized that the program will significantly boost revenues in the UAE’s intellectual property sector by facilitating the export of innovative national products and services.
Intellectual property protection is crucial for driving economic growth, particularly for small businesses, by safeguarding their ideas and products against infringement. The UAE has witnessed a notable increase in trademark registrations, patent applications, and intellectual works registrations, underscoring the nation’s commitment to fostering creativity and innovation.
Bin Touq highlighted the UAE’s progressive legislative framework and policy measures aimed at promoting comprehensive IP protection and encouraging creativity and innovation. Efforts are underway to expand the scope of trademark registration to include non-traditional trademarks such as sounds, scents, geographical indication marks, and holograms, further supporting the nation’s intellectual property sector’s growth trajectory.
