Prosecution

The world is constantly changing. The changes, however, cause friction with the old habits and represent a threat to the eyes of those who have benefited so much at the expense and detriment of the environment. Climate change, air and water pollution, rising water levels in the oceans, and other circumstances that threaten terrestrial fauna and flora have been in the spotlight in recent years.

The Somalia Trademarks Office resumed its operations at the end of 2019, when Ministerial Decree 1/2019 was issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, stipulating that trademark registrations are once again possible in this former Italian colony and British Protectorate.

Background

In 2019, China became the world leader in international patent applications, according to the annual report of the World Intellectual Property Organization, presented in Geneva, having overtaken the United States of America and ended a period of leadership that had lasted since the creation of the WIPO Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in 1978.

Libya lies along the southern edge of the Mediterranean in North Africa and is the fourth largest Arab nation in the world. It has a population of almost 7 million people, 97% of whom are Sunni Muslims.

Sharia is the main source of law in all Islamic states. It is derived from the Qur’an and the traditions (Sunnah) of the Prophet Mohammad by religious scholars (the ulema) who have been trained in one or more schools of Islamic jurisprudence. In line with Sharia practice, each Islamic country has its own IP laws.

The African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) allows an applicant to register a regional trademark, which designates the following countries:

• Botswana;
• Eswatini;
• Lesotho;
• Liberia;
• Malawi;
• Namibia;
• Sao Tome and Principe;
• Tanzania;
• Uganda; and
• Zimbabwe.

One of the main differences between ARIPO and the African Intellectual Property Organisation is that at the former it is possible to designate several or all member states.

While called “international” patent, not all countries are covered.

The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), commonly referred to as International Patent, provides a common application mechanism for inventors wishing to protect their inventions around the world.

Inventa International contributed with Portugal and Angola chapters in the ninth edition “Trade Marks 2020” of International Comparative Legal Guide (ICLG), published by Global Legal Group.

These guidelines summarize legislation and regulations regarding trademarks in both countries focusing on the main steps, timings, requirements and other related rights.

During its short existence, the Cape Verde Institute of Management and Quality of Intellectual Property (IGQPI) has mainly focused on protecting trademarks and patents. Other IP rights – such as appellations of origin and geographical indications (GIs) – have therefore been ignored.

The Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances is a multilateral treaty which regulates copyright related rights for audiovisual performances and expands the performers' rights. It was adopted on 26 June 2012 by the Diplomatic Conference on the Protection of Audiovisual Performances of the World Intellectual Property Organization, in which 156 WIPO member states, six intergovernmental, and six non-governmental organizations participated. Forty-eight countries signed the treaty on 26 June, followed by 19 other countries in 2012 and 2013.

Many African countries have raised their IP fees in the past few years. This is due to economic growth, a rising interest in protecting IP assets and the modernisation of countries’ IP systems. For example, in 2017, the Democratic Republic of Congo hiked up its prices by roughly 15% and South Africa’s Trademark Office announced an increase in official fees (effective from 1 October 2019). Egypt has also stated its intention to follow suit for industrial property services payments. This article focuses on Ghana and Tunisia, which have both raised costs for their IP services this year.