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ARTICLE · 06 FEBRUARY 2019

Sierra Leone's Much-Anticipated Trade Marks Act Sputters To Life

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Despite enacting new Design and Patent legislation in 2012, the much-anticipated promulgation of the amended Trade Marks Act has been in limbo for several years.

Sierra LeoneIntellectual Property
Nazli Naidoo
Nazli Naidoo
Sisipho Ngoma
Sisipho Ngoma
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Despite enacting new Design and Patent legislation in 2012, the much-anticipated promulgation of the amended Trade Marks Act has been in limbo for several years. However, the Sierra Leone Registry has now indicated that is applying the Trade Marks Act No. 8 of 2014 (the new Act). This follows a long period of uncertainty concerning the applicable legislation in Sierra Leone, as the new Act was reportedly returned to Parliament after being published in the Gazette of 9 October 2014, in order for certain technical issues to be resolved.

To date, however, no formal notice has been issued confirming the effective date of the new Act.

The new Act repeals the Trade Marks Act no. 17, Cap 244 of 1960 (the old Act) and introduces significant changes to the trade mark law in Sierra Leone. Most notably, the new Act incorporates the following changes:

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