The Ministry of Information and Culture, which is responsible for copyrights, has received during the biennium (2000-2001) 128 claims categorized as follows:
- vendors: 23 cases
- video films : 33 cases
- computer programs: 18 cases
- smart cards concerning TV broadcasting by satellite: 8 cases
- electronic games: 6 cases
In addition to the natural persons, the claimants were from various concerned parties such as the Arab Union for Anti-Piracy, the Union of Computer Programs Producers, International Union for Audio products, etc.
The procedure followed in dealing with such claims use to start with verifying the claimed cases by the Inspection Division in the Ministry of Information and Culture in order to ensure a minimum of certainty of the elements being claimed. After the inspection action, coordination is made with the police authorities in order to engage necessary raids and seizure. The case is then presented before the competent court. The Ministry of Information and Culture has also the competency to decide the closing of the establishments taking part in infringement and piracy under the Law.
As far as the trademarks infringement is concerned, there is a few cases received in the Ministry of Economy and Commerce to date (35 claims) since 1992, which are dealt with in the same way explained for the Copyrights infringement.
The United Arab Emirates will provide the US delegation with further statistics very soon regarding civil and criminal enforcement.
