The United Arab Emirates Minister of Information and Culture, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has recently issued a number of ministerial decisions on copyrights and related rights, Gulf News reported.
The decisions, 131/ 132/133 and 134 for 2004 serve to regulate the registration, import and distribution, collective management, and mandatory licenses of copyrights. The decisions are in line with the Federal Law No. 7 of 2002 on copyrights and related rights.
Under the new ministerial decision No. 131, a work shall be registered according to the data provided by the owner of the work.
A copy of the work shall be retained in the registration office so as to safeguard the financial and intellectual rights of the owner, in the event of any copyright disputes.
Decision No. 132 regulates the import and distribution of copyrighted works.
It aims at preserving the rights of the authorized importers and distributors of patented intellectual works, as well as the rights of those who authorized them.
The significance of the decision stems from the fact that it regulates the circulation of intellectual works in the country, in a manner that will make it significantly harder for unauthorized parties to circulate, sell or distribute works without prior permission from the owner. The decision also safeguards the rights of the authorized distributors in the UAE.
Decision No. 133 on collective management of the rights enables copyright owners, whether they are authors, artists, performers, audio-recording producers and/or radio institutions, to authorize other parties to manage their works on the basis of authenticated agreements.
These parties shall be responsible for collecting revenues generated by the works. They shall also be entitled to take necessary administrative, legal and arbitrative measures to protect the rights of their clients.