The Department of Economic Development (DED) in Abu Dhabi has confiscated 13,286 pieces that included fake automobile spare parts, electronics, clothes, accessories and cosmetics during the first quarter (Q1) of the year, compared to 984 pieces during Q1 2017.

DED conducted a total of 420 inspections across the three main regions of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Thafra. Around 235 campaigns were conducted in Abu Dhabi, while 110 and 75 were conducted in Al Thafra and Al Ain, respectively, indicating an increase by 105 per cent compared to the same quarter of last year.

 Mohammed Munif Al Mansouri, CEO of Abu Dhabi Business Center, stated that the DED is currently working on implementing several strategic projects in the field of commercial protection in collaboration and coordination with its partners in the government across the Emirate, including the preparation of the Consumer and Business Protection Strategy for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi 2018-2022, and the re-organization of several commercial sectors in the commercial zones.

According to the report, Abu Dhabi Business Center has conducted 44,440 inspections and control visits during the first quarter of 2018. Around 22 thousand 277 visits were conducted in Abu Dhabi, whereas 15,096 were conducted in Al Ain and 7,094 visits in Al Thafra. On the other hand, the same quarter of last year witnessed the implementation of 39,404 visits, indicating an increase by 12.7 per cent.

Moreover, the report pointed out that during the inspections and control visits that were conducted during the first quarter of 2018, Abu Dhabi Business Center issued 2516 tickets that included 1546 tickets in Abu Dhabi, 827 in Al Ain and 143 in Al Thafra, compared to 1794 tickets during the same quarter of 2017, indicating an increase by 40.2 per cent.

Al Mansouri stressed the importance of intensifying the field visits that the DED conducts in order to monitor the markets by utilizing the complaints that it receives from the consumers and brand owners. This provides an indicator of some of the bad commercial practices that are being conducted by owners of various commercial establishments which violate the commercial activity laws in the Emirate.

Furthermore, the report mentioned that the Commercial Protection Administration at the DED received around 979 complaints from the consumers and brand owners during the first quarter of 2018. Around 466, 15 and 498 complaints were recorded in Abu Dhabi, Al Thafra and Al Ain, respectively, compared to 504 complaints during the first quarter of 2017, indicating an increase by 94 per cent.

Regarding this matter, Al Mansouri emphasized the importance of engaging members of Abu Dhabi's society to assist the DED in its efforts to combat bad commercial practices in the Emirate. The DED encourages people to immediately report any violations to the concerned authorities, most notably the DED, since it is the body in charge of regulating commercial activities in the Emirate in coordination and cooperation with the concerned bodies.

He also explained that the increase in the rate of complaints by 94 per cent is the result of the implementation of the value added tax by the government of the UAE earlier this year. This resulted in many complaints being reported regarding increase in prices. The DED handled these complaints with seriousness in order to protect the consumers' rights and ensure proper implementation of the tax law.

As per the report, Abu Dhabi Business Center has closed down 57 commercial establishments in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain during the first quarter of 2018 due to their explicit violation of the business practice, whereas in the first quarter of 2017 it closed down 7 establishments.

In this regard Al Mansouri stated that the increase in the number of establishments that were closed down during the first quarter of 2018, compared to the same quarter of 2017, came as a result of the DED's strict measures with respect to monitoring the markets in order to prevent any establishment from unjustifiably increasing their prices in light of the value added tax law implementation in the country.

In addition to that, he explained that in an effort to reinforce its role in the field of commercial protection in the Emirate, the DED has introduced procedures for the activation of the competition protection and intellectual property laws, the introduction of electronic programs to receive and follow up on consumers' complaints and the implementation of awareness campaigns to ensure all consumers are protected. – TradeArabia News Service