Trade Mark Renewal Exercise – Deadline Extended
In accordance with Rwanda Law No. 31/2009 on the Protection of
Intellectual Property ("the Law") of 14 December 2009,
all trade marks registered in terms of the old 1963 Act, i.e.,
trade marks registered before 14 December 2009,
were to be renewed before the 14th of December 2019, to ensure
those marks remain both valid and enforceable.
The Rwanda Development Board has since issued a waiver notice
dated 31 January 2020 allowing trade mark owners a 10 month grace
period to renew trade marks that were not renewed by the deadline
of 14 December 2019. Therefore, the deadline for the renewal of
trade marks registered before 14 December 2009 expires on
13 October 2020.
