Ethiopia's Accession To The Paris Convention

On 1 October 2024 the Ethiopian Council of Ministers approved Ethiopia's ratification of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and the Madrid Protocol.

The ratification documents have been sent to the House of People's Representatives for approval, and once approved, Ethiopia will officially become a member of the Paris Convention and the Madrid Protocol.

In terms of the Paris Convention, Ethiopia will grant the same protection to nationals of other contracting states that it grants to its own nationals. Notably, in terms of the Paris Convention, any person who has filed an application for a trade mark in a contracting state, shall enjoy a right of priority for the purpose of filing in Ethiopia.