The customs departments toured Japanese cities and discussed enforcement, techniques and further future cooperation.
Customs Today reported on the meetings and trips undertaken by Dubai’s Police and Emirates Intellectual Property Association (EIPA) and Japan’s External Trade Organisation (JETRO) in Japan, with officials exploring “joint IPR protection measures”. The invitation was “extended” by the Japanese for officials to visit Japan, with IPR Director Yousuf Ozair Mubarak and Acting External Relations Director Faisal Eissa Lutfi leading the delegation.
The trip saw the two organisation tour Japanese cities, visit customs to be “briefed about adopted techniques for seizing counterfeits” and understand the “processes and high-tech systems implemented” by the Japanese authorities, and hold a meeting at the Tokyo Customs Museum’s Counterfeits Section with the International Intellectual Property Protection Forum to “discuss common prospects of cooperation and coordination”.
The trip also saw the delegation meet with “major Japanese trademark owners” such as Sony, Hitachi and Toyota, with the trip said to be “productive” as the Dubai visitors “explored state-of-the-art technologies used in manufacturing electronics” and “discussed IP protection measures”. In return, Mubarak discussed Dubai’s IP “protection experience” and its “vital role in deterring the smuggling of counterfeits into the country”.
He added: “Cooperation with Japanese companies in this domain has paid off. In 2014 alone, Dubai Customs’ trademark protection efforts involved 14 Japanese trademarks, making Japan one of the top five beneficiaries of DC’s fight against counterfeiting. To ensure the provision of best customs facilities to traders and businesses from all countries, Dubai Customs seeks to network with foreign business councils, as part of Irtibat, an initiative launched by Dubai Customs to nurture closer ties with foreign business communities.”
Lutfi commented: “Our visit to Japan was aimed at enhancing cooperation and exploring joint IPR protection actions to optimize trade between Dubai and Japan. In fact, Japan comes eighth among Dubai’s trading partners, with two-way trade in the first nine months of 2014 amounting to AED 31 billion ($8.4 billion/€7.6 billion) to AED 29.87 billion ($8.1 billion/€7.3 billion) imports, AED 992 million ($270 million/€244 million) exports and AED 354 million ($96 million/€87 million) re-exports.”
UAE customs recently seized Dh11 million ($2.9 million/€2.6 million) worth of counterfeit toner and inkjet cartridges in Ras Al Khaimah.