Industrial Design

Sudan is the third largest country on the African continent and the Nile river traverses the country from South to North, while the Red Sea makes Sudan a bridge between Africa and the Middle East.

Endowed with rich natural resources, Sudan was considered the 17th fastest-growing economy in the world in 2010 given the rapid development of the country largely from oil profits, despite international sanctions.

Since 2019, Inventa International has contributed to updating several chapters related to African jurisdictions in the Manual of Industrial Property (also known as The Brown Book), published by Wolters Kluwer International Group.

Today we launch Inventa IP Review, an annual compilation with the main Intellectual Property (IP) topics of the previous year, through opinion articles and relevant announcements.

A year has passed since the COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented disruption in global development. But in some way, it also allowed us to be more resilient and find new routes of communicating.

The path of Intellectual Property was no different.

After COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Botswana, the government decreed a new lockdown, since July, 31. Therefore, the Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) IP Division is closed and will not receive any electronic filings and payments for all patents, trademarks, industrial designs and all other IP applications, until further notice.

- Previous applications: This procedure also applies to applications that have been received before the closure and will be processed only after the office reopens.

The majority of IP practitioners have had to adapt their routines to the current pandemic and create new working habits. This has meant remote working, which is running smoothly thanks to the availability of online tools and access to IP asset management platforms. Many IP offices have had to implement different practices, which has been challenging as some cases require immediate response. This article focuses on the obstacles raised by the covid-19 pandemic with regard to the administrative processes of IP rights in Cape Verde.

On 30 July 2019, the Mauritius Parliament approved and passed the Industrial Property Bill 2019, it was then published in the Government Gazette on 10 August 2019. The bill aims to update and strengthen protection for IP rights, as well as to harmonize the current legislation in order to meet the challenges of the globalized industry.

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.

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

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.

Bemanya Twebaze, The Registrar General of Uganda Registration Services Bureau has just been elected President of the WIPO Advisory Committee on Enforcement.

The election of Bemanya, that has previously served as President of Paris Union Assembly of WIPO, is a remarkable achievement for Uganda.