Page 262 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT- NOVEMBER 2024

11/28/24, 9:36 AM UAE participates in Diplomatic Conference on Design Law in Riyadh to enhance collaboration in the legal protection of IP rights
protection for industrial designs and intellectual property (IP) both regionally and globally. The
conference was also aimed at fostering a culture of innovation and creativity.

H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for IP Rights Sector at the
Ministry of Economy, represented the UAE at the conference. H.E. Daren Tang, Director General
of WIPO, was also present at the event, along with several representatives from other WIPO
member states.

H.E. Al Muaini highlighted the significance of the treaty as a new milestone in streamlining the
registration of industrial designs for innovators and creators globally. Its main objective is to
offer necessary tools and mechanisms to strengthen multilateral IP framework and simplify
procedures to protect their IP rights. H.E. noted that the treaty includes key provisions, including
the prohibition of unauthorised claims on traditional designs, endorsing requests for technical
assistance and capacity building, among other procedural matters. These provisions require
increased cooperation among member states to ensure successful treaty negotiations.
Additionally, H.E. Dr. Al Muaini emphasized the importance of aligning views among member
states and owners of industrial designs, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

H.E. said, “The UAE is committed to supporting the conference and its outcomes, while also
maintaining its commitment to collaborate and exchange knowledge and best practices with
fellow WIPO member states. The country seeks to become a party to all WIPO treaties and
agreements on IP and play an effective role in supporting global initiatives in this field.”
Furthermore, H.E. conveyed the UAE’s endorsement of Pakistan’s statement on behalf of the
Asia-Pacific Group at the conference.

H.E. Al Muaini added: “The UAE has made remarkable strides in establishing a robust legal
framework to strengthen the overall protection of IP and its associated fields, in line with
international best practices. The country achieved this through the issuance of proactive and
forward-looking policies and laws, including the industrial property rights regulation and
protection law and its executive regulation. These initiatives have played a pivotal role in laying
the groundwork for effective legislation, efficient legal mechanisms, and high-quality services to
ensure comprehensive protection for industrial property across diverse applications, including
industrial designs.”

The UAE had recently introduced a new set of initiatives to strengthen IP protection in the
country, including 31 integrated projects that foster innovation and creativity in line with global
best practices. Among these projects is the ‘Patent Incubator,’ which facilitates the
documentation of the patent registration process across the seven emirates, providing
assistance to innovators and urging them to secure IP rights for their creations to preserve the
value of their ideas.

The UAE’s IP sector recently witnessed a significant growth in the number of registered
trademarks, with a total of 356,408 trademark registrations by the end of September 2024.
Moreover, more than 15,000 patents, utility certificates, and industrial designs were also
registered.

https://thefinanceworld.com/uae-design-law-conference-riyadh-2024/ 2/3