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In a video address shown at the ceremony, Anita Huss, President of the IFRRO, affirmed the
federation’s support for the Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association, commending
the association’s significant role in raising awareness of copyright and intellectual property rights in
the UAE and the wider region.

She said: “We are proud to be hosting the first International Reprographic Rights Conference in the
UAE under the patronage of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, with whom I have always had the
honour of engaging in fruitful discussions on the pivotal role of intellectual property in supporting
creative and cultural industries. We have continuously explored ways to strengthen the
collaboration between ERRA and IFRRO to establish a robust foundation for global reprographic
rights protection.”

Ambitious goals

This conference underscores the UAE’s commitment to fostering a sustainable creative
environment and supporting global efforts to protect intellectual property rights, recognising them
as vital cultural and economic development components. With a clear set of ambitious objectives,
the conference aims to raise awareness of reprographic rights and their crucial role in the creative
economy, encouraging cooperation between collective management organisations (CMOs),
publishers, and authors while facilitating the exchange of knowledge between regional and
international reprographic rights experts. The conference will also highlight best practices in rights
protection and the publishing industry’s digital transformation.
Panel discussions

The conference agenda on its first day featured panel discussions centred around the event’s key
themes. Majd Al Shehhi led a session titled ‘Unauthorised Use and Its Impact on the Income of
Creative Works,’ which included contributions from His Excellency Dr Abdulrahman Al Muaini,
Assistant Undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector at the Ministry of Economy; Jim
Alexander, International Director of the Copyright Agency at IFRRO; Dr Sharon Wong from the Hong
Kong Copyright Licensing Association; and Dr Mohammed Al Kamali from ERRA.

In another panel moderated by Jim Alexander, Michael Healy, Executive Director of Rights Owners
and International Relations at CCC, discussed ‘Collective Management as a Solution’ with Sarah
Tran from IFRRO, James Bennett from the UK Copyright Licensing Agency, and Ana Maria Cabanillas
from the Copyright Administration Centre in Argentina (CADRA).
A third session, titled ‘Artificial Intelligence and Libraries in the Digital Age,’ explored the impact of
technological developments on libraries’ future and AI’s role in enhancing access to knowledge and
protecting reprographic rights. Moderated by Alia Al Shamsi, the panel featured Fatima Al Hosani
from the Ministry of Economy, Michael Healy from CCC, Nadia Masoud from the University of
Sharjah, and Sheikha Al Mutairi from the Emirates Library and Information Association.
The session focused on how creators and institutions adapt to digital and societal transformations
impacting intellectual property rights. Notable attendees included writer and media figure
Mohammed Bin Dakhin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ERRA; His Excellency Rashid Al
Kous, Executive Director of the Emirates Publishers Association; Dr Abdullah Al Sharhan, Secretary

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