"Economy" A registration system is launched "The national product is geographically determined"

2025/05/08 4:09:44 PM

7 minutes read

Dubai, May 8 / WAM / The Ministry of Economy announced today the launch of the system of registration of the “national product specified geographically”, as the first national service of its kind to protect Emirati products related to a specific geographical origin that carries unique features and characteristics, with the aim of strengthening the intellectual property protection system for national identity products, and opening new horizons for Emirati industries in foreign markets, in line with the state’s vision towards building a competitive economy Sustainable is based on innovation and knowledge.
This came during an event organized by the Ministry in the presence of His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al -Marri, Minister of Economy in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, the Dubai Municipality – Food Safety Administration, the Department of Economic Development in Ras Al Khaimah, the General Women’s Union, and the Environment Authority – Abu Dhabi.

The event was attended by more than 200 participants from officials, experts and specialists, representatives of government agencies, the private sector, and the local community, as well as a number of institutions concerned with protecting intellectual property and sustainable development.
His Excellency stressed that the UAE, thanks to the directives of the wise leadership, adopted an ambitious vision to enhance its position as a global center for the new economy based on knowledge and innovation according to the determinants of the vision of “We Emirates 2031”, and established the protection of intellectual property and the development of its legislation is a national priority as a major capacity for the creative and sustainable economy, indicating that the registration of the national product geographically determined reflects the state’s commitment By protecting the cultural identity of Emirati products and promoting them globally, and turning them into economic elements that contribute to the development of local communities and enhance economic diversity.
His Excellency explained that the UAE continues its efforts in enhancing the legislative structure of intellectual property in a way that supports the competitiveness of the national economy and keeps pace with international best practices, and a special chapter has been created in the brands law concerned with geographical indicators, and includes materials that regulate their registration mechanisms and protection, in order to enhance the preservation of local identity of national products and support their competitiveness at the local and international levels.
His Excellency Ben Touq said that the launch of the service of the national product, which is geographically determined, is a new station in providing comprehensive protection for brands related to its geographical environments, national products with cultural and local identity, and opening new horizons for them to grow, in order to achieve integration between economic, cognitive and heritage aspects.
His Excellency pointed out that the service of the national product that is geographically determined is one of the effective tools in raising the value of the Emirati product in the regional and global market and achieving excellence, in addition to its role in supporting agricultural and craft products, preserving traditional knowledge, and enhancing the confidence of local and international consumers in national products.
Ibn Touq noted that the Ministry of Economy worked to develop this initiative in cooperation with a number of specialized national bodies, according to an integrated approach that enhances the flexibility of implementation and ensures the participation of local communities and producers in the development process, explaining that the ministry will continue to expand the scope of registration of geographical products to include new categories of qualified craft and food products, in order to enhance their presence in the target markets.
For his part, Abdullah Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, confirmed in statements to the Emirates News Agency “WAM” on the sidelines of the event in Dubai, that the registration of Emirati products related to a specific geography aims to protect them as part of the state’s cultural and economic identity, noting that protection in international markets is under international agreements, under the World Intellectual Property Organization and within the framework of the “Trippus” agreement in the World Trade Organization that protects indicators Geography.

He explained that some products are characterized by their association with a specific area, such as the dates dates or Ras Al Khaimah ceramics, pointing out that the registration of these products enhances their reputation and competitiveness globally, and protects them from misleading use in other countries.
The event witnessed the announcement of 4 national products within the plan for the first stage of the service of registration of the national product, which is currently geographically, as it is currently being registered and protected within the framework of the new system, which is honey from the Hatta region, which is characterized by its quality related to the mountain environment and traditional practices in its production; And the ceramics from the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, which has a long history of craft and handicrafts and is one of the most prominent exports of the emirate; Al -Dabbas passes from the Al Dhafra region, which carries an authentic agricultural character and a prominent reputation in addition to traditional wicker products that are made in various emirates of the country and reflects the original Emirati craft heritage.
The product registration service will be fully provided via the official website of the Ministry of Economy, which will start receiving requests for registration of products from inside and outside the country, according to approved controls and criteria that take into account the geographical, natural and traditional characteristics of the product.
The Ministry is currently working on studying 25 additional products, including 13 food products and 12 handicraft products, in preparation for their registration during the coming period, as it is expected that the number of products covered in the service will reach 6 products at the end of this year.
The registration of the national product, geographically, provides broader opportunities for export and enhancing the market value of the Emirati product, in a way that supports the state’s plans in promoting tourists of a special nature, achieving resource sustainability, and building a global reputation for national products, in order to support the strength and strength of our national economy.
The event included two dialogue sessions, the first highlighted a number of leading global experiences in the field of registration of products with a geographical indicator, while the second reviewed successful national models in highlighting the quality of the geographically determined product, and its impact on promotion, export and promoting national reputation.

During the event, the Ministry of Economy honored the concerned partners in appreciation of their efforts and their active role in developing the system, and their concrete contributions in the stages of the national product registration project, geographically defined.
The role of the new system is highlighted as an effective tool that supports the state’s efforts in enabling innovation and individual and institutional creativity and the protection of intellectual property rights in the UAE, which is in line with the state’s efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.
In this context, the protection of national products defined geographically contributes to achieving the eighth goal concerned with “decent work and the growth of the economy”, by stimulating local production, creating sustainable job opportunities, raising the economic value of products and also supports the ninth goal related to “industry, innovation and basic structures”, as it enhances the development of value chains in traditional and modern industries, supports innovation in production methods, and contributes to building an existing economy On knowledge and quality.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) indicated in the report of the 2024 global intellectual property indicators that there are more than 58,600 geographical indicators in the world until 2023, and Europe came in the lead by 52.5% of the geographical indicators registered globally, followed by Asia with 39.5%.
The brands law in the UAE provides comprehensive protection for geographical indicators, as it is one of the forms of brands that are linked to a specific geographical origin that gives the product unique features and distinctive quality.

The law allows the registration of geographical indicators as a legal right that guarantees its intellectual property and prevents its use by others in a way that misleads the consumer or offends the reputation of local products, provided that it is protected in the country of origin, which contributes to enhancing confidence in Emirati products, and supporting its presence in the regional and global markets.
The law protects these indicators of plagiarism, forgery, or any illegal use, including any offer or design that suggests a geographical origin that is different from the truth, because of this effect on consumer awareness and product rights.

The law prohibits the use of geographical indicators in contexts that are unlawful competition, in accordance with the Paris Agreement for the Protection of Industrial Property and the international agreements in force in the country, which ensures the compatibility of national legislation with the best global practices in this field.
According to the brands law, the geographical indicator is any commodity that has originated in the region of a member member of the World Trade Organization or in a region, location or place from that region if the quality or popularity of the commodity or its other features is mainly due to its geographical origin and represents a strategic tool to support Emirati products, contributes to protecting the national identity and the cultural heritage, and establishes the UAE’s position on the global scene and is a link between the past and the present, which contributes to achieving Economic sustainability by supporting traditional industries and local projects.
The protection of geographical indicators is a basic pillar in supporting entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium enterprises, and provides them with sustainable economic opportunities by distinguishing their products in the local and global markets, and contributes to diversifying the national economy.