ARTICLE · 05 JUNE 2018

PAIPO – Concerns From A Brand Holder's Perspective

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Since the start of cross-border trade, various treaties have been entered into to provide protection of a brand holder which is similar to that of the nationals of a foreign nation ...

South AfricaIntellectual Property

Jadon Wolmarans

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Since the start of cross-border trade, various treaties have been entered into to provide protection of a brand holder which is similar to that of the nationals of a foreign nation in respect of their intellectual property. Think TRIPS and the Madrid Protocol, to name but a few.

The African Union's (AU) Scientific, Technical and Research Commission have introduced a Statute of the Pan African Intellectual Property Organisation (PAIPO) which should be tasked with administering and harmonization of Intellectual Property and its laws in Africa. The AU has made PAIPO available for all members of the AU, which is all countries on the continent and the surrounding islands; however, its workings and implementation are unclear.

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