Rights of authors, inventors, and creators – especially in the UAE’s artistic and musical sectors – are expected to be protected under a new system being chalked out by the Ministry of Economy (MoE).
The ministry has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) to establish new mechanisms that foster a system in order to protect these rights.
The assistant undersecretary for the Commercial Affairs Regulatory Sector, Abdulaziz Ibrahim Ali Al-Nuaimi, said that the UAE has paid great attention to developing an environment to protect intellectual property in its various applications.
Al-Nuaimi said: “This MoU is a new step in the country’s efforts to take its intellectual property system to a new level.
“It is the first of its kind in the region and will help the UAE to keep pace with all developments taking place around the world in the field of protecting creativity and innovation in line with the objectives and principles of Project of the 50, and the determinants of the UAE Centennial 2071.”
Al Nuaimi added: “The most important of which is the protection of copyright, neighbouring rights, and intellectual works in all the fields of literature, arts, and science.”
He added that the record industry, artists, and musicians represent one of the prominent creative activities for which the UAE seeks to develop the intellectual protection system.
The MoU – which was signed by Abdulaziz Ibrahim Ali Al-Nuaimi and Francis Moore, the CEO of IFPI – also encourages record companies to invest and expand their businesses in the UAE’s markets, through the development of collective management policies for literature and intellectual works.
Frances Moore commended the efforts made by the UAE to promote and issue copyrights and their supportive laws and legislations.
Moore noted that the MoU offers a chance to ensure the continuous development and growth of the music industry in the country, and emphasised that the IFPI is looking forward to future collaboration and exchange experiences with the ministry in the upcoming stages.
The UAE will continue to provide a safe and attractive environment for innovators and creators, guarantee their rights, transform their creative ideas into reality and prosper their businesses, Al Nuaimi added, ensuring the consolidation of the UAE’s reputation as a safe and reliable economic destination that celebrates creativity, innovation, and knowledge economy.
Under this MoU, a first of its kind joint management group, consisting of teams from MoE and IFPI, will be created. The group will:
– maintain broadcasting and performance rights in the country,
– launch awareness campaigns for musical records,
– guarantee non-infringement of copyrights for companies working in the creative industries, and
– establish a joint work committee between the Ministry of Economy and the IFPI to set work foundations and procedures which protect the rights of authors in creative audio, musical, and artistic activities.
Located in London, the IFPI – the biggest non-profit organisation that represents the interests of the phonogram industry worldwide – touts more than 8,000 members from international leading music record companies representing more than 70 countries.
The federation promotes the value of musical records, protects copyrights, and offers awareness campaigns on the protection of copyrights, combating piracy, and expanding commercial usages for globally recorded music.
The UAE Federal Decree-Law no. (38) of 2021 on Copyrights and Neighbouring Rights, which was issued on last December, has also contributed to provide a comprehensive legislative environment to promote investment in creative and artistic industries, support the intellectual and innovative outcome, protect intellectual property in areas of production, music, and other creative industries in arts, science, and aesthetics, as well as the sectors of new economy and digital world, such as programming and smart apps.
Follow us on
