DED and Daimler join hands to combat counterfeiting

The Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai and Daimler AG, manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to fight counterfeiting and promote Dubai's reputation as a world-class business hub.

DED and Daimler will work together to eliminate use and trade of counterfeit auto parts and to educate consumers on intellectual property rights (IPR) under the MoU.

Abdulla Al Ka'abi, Development and Follow-up Director, Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection (CCCP) sector in DED termed the partnership a milestone in Dubai's continued efforts to create an exemplary IP environment. "The Daimler expertise along with DED's interface with local businesses will help take our fight against counterfeiting to a new level led by international best practices and consumer awareness," he added.

Under the agreement, DED will provide Daimler AG with the receipts of counterfeit Mercedes-Benz auto parts confiscated in Dubai so that the manufacturer can trace the origins of such products and act accordingly. "This expands the scope of our fight against counterfeiting beyond Dubai and tackle the problem on an international level," said Al Ka'abi.

DED and Daimler will also co-operate on campaigns to educate consumers on the dangers of counterfeit auto parts. Daimler has also agreed to provide annual training to field inspectors from CCCP to help them distinguish between original and fake spare parts.

"Counterfeiting undermines market integrity and limits the trademark owner's ability to invest in innovation. More importantly, it poses a serious threat to public health and safety. Dubai's reputation as a competitive hub for free and fair business rests largely on the city's responsiveness to the concerns of investors, businesses and consumers alike," said Ibrahim Behzad, Senior Manager in DED's Intellectual Property Rights section.

Dr. Peter Stiefel, Head of Daimler Global Brand Protection expressed his appreciation for the valuable support extended by DED to protect Daimler customers against inferior quality counterfeit spare parts.

"Daimler products lead in terms of safety, quality and comfort. We take the protection of intellectual property very seriously and act against attempted plagiarism, which violates our technology, design or trademark rights, with all legal means available to us. We also find the increasing number of counterfeit products in the area of spare parts alarming," Stiefel said.

DED seeks to protect brands and trademarks against violations in accordance with the policy of the Dubai Government to promote economic activity and uphold intellectual property. CCCP maintains regular communication with trademark owners and businesses to build and update awareness on trademarks. Organised and random inspections are also held to check violations and consumer complaints are monitored as part of maintaining a close watch on the market.