Prosecution

The 40th edition of the Luanda International Fair (FILDA), the largest international trade event in Angola, took place from July 22 to 27, in the Special Economic Zone (ZEE), Luanda - Bengo.

The Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority (EGIPA) has recently enacted two significant legal instruments - Decree No. 26 of 2025 and Decision No. 34 of 2025 - which introduce substantial modifications to the country’s patent fee structure and procedural timelines.

Under Decree No. 26, published in Official Gazette No. 132 on 17 June 2025 and effective as of 18 June 2025, the official examination fee for patent applications has doubled, increasing from EGP 25,000 to EGP 50,000 (approximately USD 1,060).

Ethiopia is now a signatory to the Paris Convention and the Madrid Protocol, with both set to enter into force on August 15, 2025. This upcoming integration is expected to simplify the protection of patents and trademarks allowing applicants to claim earlier filing dates and submit international applications through the WIPO system. This measure strengthens the enforcement of intellectual property and promotes investment and technology transfer. The accession marks a strategic step in Ethiopia’s broader efforts to modernize its IP system.

The concept of artificial intelligence (AI) is a global phenomenon that has taken over every aspect of life. AI is the possibility and capability of computer systems to perform human-designed tasks with little or no errors. Early innovators and researchers of AI believed that human intelligence and behaviour could be neatly copied and translated by intelligent machines that had been designed to do so. In Nigeria and globally, AI has been widely accepted and indoctrinated across various fields of life.

We are proud to announce that Inventa has been recognized in the annual Leaders League ranking of the best firms in Portugal. This year, we have been distinguished as a Leading Firm in both “Trademark Prosecution” and “Patent Prosecution,” and as a Recommended Firm in the “IP Litigation” category. These distinctions reflect outstanding contributions of our team members, including Vítor Palmela Fidalgo, Vítor Sérgio Moreira, João Pereira Cabral, and Joana Fialho Pinto.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ultimate buzzword at the moment. But from a patent-based perspective, it is more than just the new fad: it is a pointer to technological developments and signals what consumers should expect from new products coming to the market in the near future.

For all the patent attorneys out there, it is also an indicator of the technologies we will be expected to deal with and translate into patent documents. So let’s have a look at what has been happening in the past few years.

When it all started

We are proud to share that Inventa has once again been recognised in the 2025 edition of the IAM Patent 1000, a leading guide dedicated to identifying top patent professionals worldwide. In the Prosecution category for Portugal, Inventa was highlighted for its continued excellence and expertise in the field.

Following recent substantial increases in trademark renewal fees in Libya, some trademark owners have sought to re-register their marks after the expiration of the protection period and its legal grace period, perceiving this as a more cost-effective alternative to renewing their existing registrations and thereby avoiding the significantly higher renewal fees.

The Harare Protocol, one of ARIPO’s cornerstone agreements, allows applicants to secure protection for patents, utility models, and industrial designs through a single ARIPO application, with the same effect as if filed directly in each designated member state. This regional mechanism has long been a valuable tool for rights holders seeking efficient, centralized IP protection across participating African jurisdictions. In this context, we would like to highlight the recent expansion of the system.