The 2025 Industrial Property Code Of Cape Verde: From Incremental Modernization To Structural Reform

From the Industrial Property Code of 2007 to the new comprehensive reforms of 2025, Cape Verde’s legal system has undergone a dramatic transformation that goes beyond incremental adjustments. Lawmakers pursued a broader reform that reflects the country’s changing economy and its deeper integration into the global IP landscape. Instead of merely updating antiquated policies, the agenda is now set by digitalization, interconnected markets and a knowledge-driven environment.

Even though the 2007 Code was a significant step in bringing domestic law closer to international standards, the 2025 Code goes further by reorganizing the system to address new technological and economic realities. The earlier Code covered the primary traditional categories of industrial property, including patents, utility models, trademarks, industrial designs, trade names and geographical indications. Its main goal was to bring the national framework into line with the demands of global trade and technological