The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has signed memorandums of understanding with both the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office and the Moroccan Industrial and Commercial Property Office to promote collaboration in developing the intellectual property framework across various applications in the UAE, following global best practices.
The signing took place with the presence of Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, during the participation of the UAE delegation at the 66th General Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva.
The areas of cooperation cover several topics aimed at enhancing the intellectual property environment, notably supporting digital transformation, building competencies, and expanding coordination and collaboration in industrial property and patent registration.
Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri emphasized that the signing of these agreements is part of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to enhance its intellectual property environment and expand collaboration with international partners to develop the institutional and legislative frameworks related to innovation. He noted that the partnership with Spain and Morocco represents a significant step towards exchanging specialized experiences in patent registration and industrial property, along with adopting advanced digital tools such as artificial intelligence in research and classification fields.
He highlighted the commitment to leverage the best international practices to establish a flexible intellectual property protection system. This involves enhancing the efficiency of registration processes, developing compliance procedures, and intensifying training programs aimed at technical personnel, enabling innovators and small and medium-sized enterprises, while boosting the competitiveness of the national economy in line with the UAE’s goals of transitioning to a sustainable knowledge-based economy centered on technology and scientific research.
Specifically, the ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office to bolster collaboration in various aspects of intellectual property protection and patent registration. This includes knowledge and experience exchange, best practices in managing and safeguarding intellectual property rights, supporting research and innovation initiatives, and localizing emerging technologies, including applications of artificial intelligence in patent management and classification.
Furthermore, the areas of cooperation will also involve organizing specialized training programs for examiners in different aspects of industrial property and conducting joint workshops and seminars targeting stakeholders across various sectors, with particular attention to supporting small and medium enterprises, thereby enhancing institutional capabilities and sharing practical experiences between the two countries.
Additionally, the ministry entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Moroccan Industrial and Commercial Property Office concerning collaboration in the field of industrial property. This memorandum aims to facilitate knowledge exchange and technical expertise in managing and organizing industrial property, staying updated on the latest technologies and relevant regulations, and organizing specialized training programs.
The memorandum will also implement joint awareness campaigns, enhance legal compliance, and develop legal protection measures through the establishment of a joint working group from both sides. This group will prepare working plans and provide the necessary technical support, thus enhancing institutional coordination and achieving the strategic objectives of the collaboration.