The United Arab Emirates and France signed an intellectual property memorandum of understanding (MOU) on January 15, 2008. The purpose of the MOU is to strengthen bilateral cooperation between both countries in the field of intellectual property. This cooperation will be achieved by:

(1) exchanging information between the two countries on the legislative front;
(2) providing specialized training to governmental enforcement agencies;
(3) holding regular meetings between government officials from both countries to discuss and exchange the latest intellectual property issues.

With this MOU, the UAE government shows its commitment to develop and establish a competent intellectual property system and demonstrates its awareness of the strategic importance of intellectual property on the country’s economic development. The government’s efforts are also evidenced in the significant number of important international conventions and treaties that support protection of IP rights to which UAE is a member. Also, the country’s move to join the World Trade Organization in 1996 and its free trade agreement negotiations with other countries are critical to expand its trade and provide a suitable intellectual property environment that is favorable to foreign investment.

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