ARTICLE · 15 OCTOBER 2018

Protect Your Marks In Africa Through The ARIPO System

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Trade marks are only protected in countries that they are registered in. Where you intend to use a trade mark in more than one country ...

South AfricaIntellectual Property

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Trade marks are only protected in countries that they are registered in. Where you intend to use a trade mark in more than one country, the question becomes whether you need to file national trade mark applications in each territory or use the trade mark systems available to file a single trade mark application covering more than one territory.

One such system is the ARIPO (African Regional Intellectual Property Organization) system. Enforceability is always a concern when filing through any system where multiple territories are covered through one trade mark application. An ARIPO trade mark application can only designate the 10 countries signatory to the Banjul Protocol, where it will be enforceable.

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