Our firm further files Trademark and Patent applications through the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (“ARIPO”).  The filing of an ARIPO application allows for a single filing that has effective protection in the relevant African ARIPO member states.

ARIPO TRADEMARKS

In terms of the Banjul Protocol on Marks a single filing may be done for the registration of a Trademark in any (or all) of the member states to the protocol.  A single filing is done wherein any number of the member states are designated.  An ARIPO Trademark allows for the protection of a mark in the designated countries through a single filing.

The member states to the Banjul Protocol are: Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Liberia, Namibia, Uganda, Swaziland, Tanzania (mainland) and Malawi.

As Namibia is a contracting state to the Banjul Protocol, our firm is able to file ARIPO Trademark applications on behalf of clients.  We further act as ARIPO agents for a number of international institutions.

The filing requirement for an ARIPO Trademark application is:

• The full particulars of the applicant, including the full registered name, country of incorporation, street address and description of the applicant;
• A power of attorney (ARIPO does not require authentication of the signatures on an power of attorney);
• Twelve prints of a device trade mark (not exceeding 9cm x 9 cm) (our office prefers if a copy of the device is provided in an electronic format);
• A list of the goods and/or services applicable to the proposed ARIPO Trademark;
• A list of the ARIPO contracting states to be designated on the ARIPO Trademark application;
• If convention priority under the Paris Convention is claimed, a certified copy of the priority document (together with a certified English translation thereof, if the priority document is not in English) is required.

In terms of the Banjul Protocol, once a Trademark has been registered by ARIPO, it is protected in each designated state as if the mark had been filed and registered in such state.  Many clients see this aspect as an advantage to using an ARIPO Trademark application.

An ARIPO Trademark is valid for ten years from date of application and renewable for further periods of ten years.  The renewal of an ARIPO Trademark is done through the ARIPO office.

Should you require a Trademark registration in any ARIPO member state you are invited to contact us at the e-mail address stated hereunder.

ARIPO PATENTS

In terms of the Harare Protocol, patent and industrial design applications may be lodged through single filing.  By filing a single application, an applicant is able to designate contracting states and thereby obtaining an industrial property right in more than one state.

The member states to the Harare Protocol are: Botswana, Ghana, Gambia, Liberia, Lesotho, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, Rwanda, Swaziland, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

A number of international clients see an ARIPO patent as an efficient mechanism to protect their patents in a rights in a number of African jurisdictions while only having to deal with a single firm that manages the application.