SHARJAH, 19th October, 2026 (WAM) -- In the presence of H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), and Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism and Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance access to trademark registration and investment services, boost trademark protection and offer better integrated services to investors and entrepreneurs.
On the sidelines of the Sharjah Investment Forum, the MoU was signed by Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) and Sharjah Publishing City (SPC) Free Zone and Dr Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
Ahmed Al Ameri said: “For entrepreneurs, building a business is only part of the challenge. Protecting the brand they create is equally important. Through our partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, we are making it easier for businesses at SPC Free Zone to access trademark registration services, safeguard their intellectual property and build stronger foundations for growth.”
He added: “Guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and the directives of H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, we are committed to making SPC a place where businesses can do more than establish operations. We want entrepreneurs and investors to have access to the services, expertise and support they need to protect what they create, compete with confidence and expand into new markets.”
Dr. Al Muaini highlighted that the UAE continues to develop its legislative framework and services ecosystem for the protection of intellectual property (IP) rights and trademarks, enhancing business competitiveness and fostering innovation across business activities. H.E. noted that the Ministry registered 17,230 national and international trademarks during the first half of 2026 and launched more than 60 impactful initiatives to strengthen the IP, innovation and creativity environment over the past three years, averaging more than 20 initiatives annually.
He said: “The Ministry of Economy and Tourism is committed to expanding cooperation with entities providing services to investors and entrepreneurs, streamlining procedures and raising awareness of the importance of intellectual property protection. The MoU with Sharjah Publishing City marks a key step in enabling and protecting innovation across the publishing sector and wider creative industries by facilitating the Free Zone customers’ access to trademark registration services, providing the necessary technical support and training, and implementing joint awareness initiatives to support intellectual property protection, business growth and expansion.”
The MoU enables SPC Free Zone to make the trademark registration service available to its customers upon request, providing investors and entrepreneurs easy access to the Ministry’s services in this field.
The cooperation also includes providing technical advice and guidance on the trademark registration system, training SPC Free Zone employees in its use and various applications and organising specialised training courses to enhance their understanding of the service and its operating mechanisms.
The MoU will also facilitate the exchange of publications, promotional materials, information and expertise, as well as the organisation of joint meetings, workshops and conferences in the fields of investment and government services for business setup. Furthermore, the two parties will cooperate on organising joint awareness programmes and initiatives to raise awareness among investors and entrepreneurs of the importance of protecting IP rights, encouraging them to benefit from the Ministry’s trademark registration services.
Established as part of the Sharjah Book Authority in 2017, SPC Free Zone is the first of its kind in the world, and lets companies in the publishing, creative and allied industries enjoy a tax-free, 100% ownership corporate structure. Strategically located just minutes from major airports and seaports, the Free Zone gives business instant access to global trade routes and opportunities.