Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading international financial hub in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, has issued a consultation paper proposing to issue Intellectual Property Regulations under the Intellectual Property Law No. 4 of 2019. The Proposed Regulations will facilitate the administration and enforcement of the DIFC IP Law and enhance the regulatory framework in DIFC.

The Proposed Regulations deal with the requirements concerning intellectual property infringement complaints to the DIFC Commissioner of Intellectual Property (IP), the inspections and investigations that the IP Commissioner may carry out in dealing with such complaints, and the requirements for issuing directions in respect thereof. The Proposed Regulations will establish a Register of Experts, which the IP Commissioner can refer to when investigating complaints, and also covers the ability of the IP Commissioner to cooperate with relevant federal and local authorities in the UAE from an enforcement perspective.

The consultation paper and legislative proposal can be accessed by visiting Consultation Papers | Dubai International Financial Centre (difc.ae)

The deadline for providing comments is 9May2021.

The Proposed Regulations reflect the Centre’s commitment to maintaining a transparent and robust legal and regulatory framework aligned with global best practice.