Summary 

Copyright in the UAE is protected under the Federal Law No. 38 of the year 2021 on Copyright and Related Rights.

For obtaining protection, copyrightable works have to be deposited with the Ministry of Economy. Protection is granted to authors of literary, artistic and scientific works of whatever the value or kind or purpose or way of expression is. 

Generally, protection is provided for works whose means of expression is writing, sound, drawing, image, motion pictures, creative titles or computer software. Translation of original works is also protected. 

The duration of the protection is for the lifetime of the author plus 50 years after his death or 50 years from the date of publication in cases of cinematographic works, works of corporate bodies and works published for the first time after the death of the author.

The law reserves the right to allow reproducing protectable works by means of photocopying without obtaining the author’s permission by public libraries, non-commercial documentation centers and education, cultural and scientific institutions, provided that the number of 50 copies reproduced is limited to their needs and not detrimental to the interests of the author. 

An unauthorized publication of an author’s work of art is penalized by imprisonment and/or a fine. A publisher who contravenes the author’s instructions through unauthorized addition, omission or modification shall be punished by imprisonment and/or a fine.

The UAE is a member of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.