Overview
São Tomé and Príncipe protects trademarks, patents, and industrial designs under national legislation and is also a member of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO). The country acceded to the Harare Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs on May 19, 2014, and to the Banjul Protocol on Marks on November 27, 2015, which entered into force on February 27, 2016. This allows applicants to seek protection for these rights either directly through the national system or via ARIPO by designating São Tomé and Príncipe in their applications.
The national intellectual property office, Serviço Nacional da Propriedade Intelectual e da Qualidade (SENAPIQ-STP), oversees IP filings and enforcement within the country. Over the years, São Tomé and Príncipe has taken steps to update its IP framework in alignment with global norms. Both local and foreign applicants can pursue registration and legal remedies in the event of infringement through judicial and administrative routes established in the country.
International Conventions
Sao Tome and Principe is party to certain international treaties that guide its IP framework, such as:
- Paris Convention
- Berne Convention
- TRIPS Agreement
- Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).