UAE world's first country
to launch IPMmobile application on IOS and Android
platforms to combat counterfeiting and piracy
In coordination with the World Customs
Organization (WCO), the Federal Cus-
toms Authority (FCA) in Dubai launched
the IPM Mobile app to combat counter-
feiting and piracy on smart phones.
The UAE is the world’s first country
that launched this application on mobile
phones as the WCO is to launch the ap-
plication in the member states next June.
The application aims to help customs of-
ficers fight counterfeits and protect intel-
lectual property rights by providing the
related information via mobile phones.
“The UAE selection reflects its significant
position on the map of the international
trade and confirms the progress of work
in the customs sector allowing the appli-
cation of the latest systems in customs
inspection and examination,” said WCO
secretary-general, Kunio Mikuriya.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, the FCA acting di-
rector-general, said that the application
comes in context of implementing the
smart government initiative. He explained
that the application includes an advanced
database currently having about 100 in-
ternational companies registering nearly
700 trademarks. It also includes about
250 million barcodes and 15 million reg-
istered and internationally recognized
commodities.
Al Bustani expressed his pleasure that
the WCO has selected the UAE to be the
first country to launch the application via
the smart phones after successfully ap-
plying it via computer in 2011.
Al Bustani said that IPM FUTURE is
expected to be launched in 2020 in the
UAE. The app is based on virtual real-
ity technology. Currently, a team is being
formed from relevant entities and organi-
zations in cooperation with the WCO to
offer suggestions related to the new app
and contribute in reaching the best relat-
ed applications.
Suoud Al Agroobi, Director of the Interna-
tional Relations at the FCA, said that the
app offers many features and e-services
to customs officers at checkpoints while
inspecting goods and cargoes. Officers
can scan the imported commodity’s bar-
code through the app to ensure whether
it is genuine or counterfeit through the
app’s available database of companies.
He added saying, “The app allows of-
ficers to take pictures of shipments and
send copies to the participating compa-
nies to ensure whether they are genuine
or not. The app also has a GPS enabling
officers to notify the right holders of the
place of inspection as well as identifying
the closest place or contact link for the
genuine trademark holder”.
Al Agroobi pointed out that the app will be
launched in Arabic for the first time in the
UAE as well as in English. The app can
run on the various mobile phone operat-
ing systems such as IOS and Android.
19
June
2014
