Although
it was anticipated that the cost of filing trademarks and designs in Egypt
would increase, this has been placed on hold. For more information and for
assistance in filing and related matters, click here.
In
the recent matter of Sigma-Tau Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite v Amina
Limited, it was decided that international registrations under the Madrid
Protocol which designate Zambia are valid registrations in this country
and that this may be used by a proprietor of an earlier trademark to oppose
subsequent trademark registrations. For more information click here
and here.
The
Uganda Patent Office has issued its objection to granting of patents in
terms of pharmaceutical inventions when this is followed by a notification of
the grant by the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO),
and in the event that Uganda is the state of designation. For more information
click here.
Trademark
owners who have registrations in Rwanda obtained before 14th December
2009 are reminded that these trademarks will have to be renewed on 14th
December 2019 in order to remain valid. For more information click here.
Official
fees for designs, patents and trademarks are set to significantly increase in Tunisia.
For more information click here.
Mauritius has new intellectual property legislation
entitles the Industrial Property Act 2019. There is no indication as to when it
will come into effect as yet. For more information click here.
In
the recent case of Lion Match Proprietary Limited v Lion Match Zimbabwe
Limited IPT 01/16, the IP Tribunal in Zimbabwe found that even
though a trademark had lapsed as a result of a harsh economic climate, it could
not simply prevent another trademark from being registered simply because of
this. For more information about this case, click here.
