Prosecution

After successive postponements, the United Kingdom will finally leave the European Union, popularly known as Brexit, with effect from 31 January 2020. It is therefore important to know what will become of the Intellectual Property assets filed and registered through EUIPO.

For that reason we have summarized a practical guide for this transitional period and the future of assets protected in the European Union.

TRADEMARKS

1. Transition period

The WIPR - World IP Review interviewed the Managing Partner of Inventa International, Daniel Reis Nobre, to learn more about the IP panorama across Africa. 

The challenges and opportunities that Africa presents, when it comes to the protection of IP assets were at the center of the conversation.

Rights holders can take advantage of the soft opening starting December 31st. 

Trademark right holders interested in obtaining a Trademark re-registration in Myanmar can do so starting December 31st, by taking advantage of the soft opening of the registrar which permits a preliminary filling.

This soft opening filing is a re-registration system and is available to owners of Tademarks that are registered under the Declaration of Ownership at the Registry of Deeds.

The protection of well-known Trademarks in Angola is no longer questionable and the absence of specific provision in the current national legislation, the Industrial Property Act, 3/92 of 1992, cannot be a serious argument against the protection of Trademarks that are well-known in the country, for two main reasons.

The city of Guangdong hosted the 2019 IP EXPO, an event dedicated to the international Intellectual Property (IP) community that focused on this region’s potential.

The event was focused on the construction of scientific and technological innovation center with global influence, and further build a Guangdong - Hong Kong – Macao bay area brand featured by internationalization, high-end level and large scale.

The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) is empowered to grant and administer patents in accordance with the provisions of the Harare Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs. According to Harare Protocol, patents shall be granted for any inventions, in all fields of technology, provided that they meet the patentability requirements: novelty, inventive step and industrial application.

Please be informed that the increase of the official fees for Patents and Designs in South Africa, previously set to occur in October 1st, has now been suspended.

As required by law, the official publication regarding the increase of the official fees is mandatory, however it is yet to take place.

Kindly note that all charges will remain unaltered until further notice.

Last June an amendment to the The Copyright And Neighbouring Rights Act, through The Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.3) Act, 2019, entered into force. In addition to copyright act, other acts have been amended, such as The Companies Act, The Films And Stage Plays Act, among others.

The main amendments to the Copyright Act are as follows:

Once again we remind you that the Law 31/2009, of December 2009, on the Protection of Intellectual Property in Rwanda established a 10-year duration period for trademarks, counting from the filing date.

In this connection, all trademarks registered in Rwanda before 2009 must be renewed until 14 December 2019.

Following the new Value Added Tax (VAT), since July of 2019, which stipulates that each requested action with the Trademark Office is subject to VAT of 14%, there is a new increase in the official fees for trademark prosecution by the Egyptian Trademark Office.

Implemented by the ministerial decree no.179, of the 4th of September 2019, this increase in official fees would be implemented from 5th of September, but it has so far been put on hold.

Once the new fees are introduced, our schedule of fees will be amended to reflect this change.