Delegation to Dubai Discusses the Future of IP in the Middle East

Earlier this month, INTA Past President David Lossignol (Novartis, Switzerland) gave a keynote address at the “Glimpse on the Future of IP” conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The conference was organized by the Gulf Brand Protection Group (BPG) in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy.

Mr. Lossignol used the opportunity to share the private sector’s concerns over the increase in restrictions on intellectual property (IP) rights, the need for innovation in certain business sectors, how strong IP laws can provide businesses with an incentive to innovate, and the need for a balanced and a peaceful coexistence between artificial intelligence and IP protection.

INTA Board member Hoda Barakat (Hoda Barakat Legal Consultancy, UAE), INTA Senior Advisor, Anticounterfeiting, Valentina Salmoiraghi, and INTA Middle East Consultant Charles Shaban also participated in the conference. Mr. Shaban presented the ten recommendations laid out in the Association’s  IP in Space white paper on how to prepare the IP community for the eventual commercialization of outer space.

The delegation also held meetings with H.E. Dr. Abdel Quddous Al Obaidly, Chairman of the Emirates Intellectual Property Association (EIPA) and Mr. Fawzi Al Jabri, Trademarks Director at the Ministry of Economy, to discuss potential areas of collaboration in anticounterfeiting, including INTA’s Unreal Campaign.

INTA Consultant Charles Shaban supports the Association’s members across the Middle East. In collaboration with the staff at INTA’s headquarters in New York City and Representative Offices around the world, Mr. Shaban works on the Association’s policy, membership, marketing, and communications initiatives in the region. To learn more about INTA’s activities in the Middle East, please contact INTA Consultant Charles Shaban.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this article, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.

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