Trademarks

An article on December 29, 2023, in the Daily News reported that Tanzania has gained international recognition for its efforts to bolster its capacity to administer justice and handle disputes in the realm of IP.

The Director of the Libyan Trademarks Office has issued an official decision, marked as No. 335 of 2024, aimed at streamlining trademark regulations in the country.

This significant decision mandates the cancellation of all published trademarks that have not been renewed within the legal renewal deadlines as delineated in Article 1257 of the Commercial Activity Law No. 23 of 2010. This article outlines the following vital provisions concerning trademark protection:

The AIPPI Spring Meeting was held in Madrid, Spain, from February 22 to 23. Tiago Reis Nobre and Vítor Palmela Fidalgo attended the 2024 edition in Meliá Madrid Princesa Hotel, which featured a variety of panel sessions on relevant topics proposed by the Standing Committees.

The Mozambican Industrial Property Institute (IPI) has recently announced updates to its official fees, reflecting changes in the landscape of IP protection. These changes, effective from February 28, 2024, cover various services including registration, renewal, alterations, transmissions, and legal procedures such as oppositions and responses to provisional refusals.

Upon analyzing the fee evolution, significant changes are evident:

On 14 February 2024, the Libyan Ministry of Economy and Trade announced important changes to the trademark registration procedures, which will be enforced starting 1 May 2024. The new regulations include the following key points:

• Powers of Attorney (POA) used for trademark prosecution will now have a validity period of one year from the signing date.

Trademarks are signs that identify the commercial origin of certain goods and services and distinguish them from those of other companies. However, while this simple sentence explains their intended function, identifying a trademark isn't as straightforward.

Words and symbols are the first types of trademarks that we can imagine. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Trademarks can be found in colours, sounds, shapes and even patterns. This is not an exhaustive exemplification.

Mainly, a trademark must be distinctive.

On February 8, Sofitel Brussels Europe hosted the INTA's "Stakeholder Dialogue: Brands in a Sustainable World" providing a platform to discuss the role of brands in driving positive environmental and social change. Topics included the sustainable destruction and recycling of counterfeit products and incorporating sustainable values into brand identity.

The World Trademark Review (WTR) has announced the WTR 1000 - The World's Leading Trademark Professionals for 2024, recognizing top trademark firms and individuals worldwide.

Inventa has once again been recognized as one of the leading trademark firms in Portugal and Nigeria, with WTR highlighting our expertise in prosecution and strategic IP protection. 

Portugal

Nestled in the heart of Central Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a vast and diverse country that commands attention both for its geographical expanse and its significant influence on the African continent.

Bordered by nine neighbouring nations, the DRC's geographical coordinates place it at a crossroads of African cultures and histories.

To the north, it shares borders with South Sudan and the Central African Republic, while to the east, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania create a complex mosaic of regional interactions.

When exporting a product, it is advisable to have Intellectual Property (IP) related to that product in the market of destiny. In addition to providing rights to explore the asset (trademark or a design, for example) in exclusivity, having IP in the market where the goods are exported lowers the probability of facing customs obstacles. This is what several Chinese companies and individuals do every year in the European Union (EU), filing trademark (EUTM) and design (RCD) applications.