UAE, France team-up to improve competitiveness of SMEs

(Paris) – Ministry of Economy, MoE, represented by the International Centre for Patent Registration, and the French Ministry of Economy, represented by the National Industrial Property Institute, INPI, signed a memorandum of understanding, MoU, to improve the competitiveness of small and media-sized enterprises, SMEs, and promote intellectual property awareness in both countries.

The MoU aims to promote cooperation and the exchange of knowledge and expertise on intellectual property practices, through training economic representatives on industrial property applications and enabling students to get specialised studies in various areas of industrial property, with focus on patents. This is with the ultimate objective of enhancing the industrial property agent profession in UAE, thus increasing the SMEs competitiveness through the introduction of intellectual property culture and making use of its services and applications.

The INPI, which is the leading authority concerned with registering industrial property rights in France, implements general industrial property policies, promotes the French business sector and supports its competitiveness, as well as participates in combatting counterfeiting.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Ali Ibrahim Al Hosany, MoE Assistant Under-Secretary for Intellectual Property Affairs, and Romin Suiran, Director-General of the French INPI, in Paris.

Al Hosany said that the MoU is strategically important, as it could benefit SMEs sector in both countries, as well as building capacities in patents and industrial models and fees, thus promoting innovation in the UAE.

Al Hosny highlighted the related steps taken by the UAE, including the launch of many initiatives that aim to advance the intellectual property sector. The UAE is also among the first countries to sign international conventions related to intellectual property, he further added.

The MoU aims to encourage cooperation in several key areas, including in promoting intellectual property and raising awareness about the importance of industrial property and patents for businesses, as well as training students, owners of emerging companies, potential entrepreneurs and academics.

As per the agreement, the two parties will work together in the area of intellectual property protection, enforcing the related national and international laws, exchange of information and the best practices and they also agreed to form a joint committee to oversee the application of the MoU and attaining its objectives.