Monday 2 September 2013

Darren Olivier

Zimbabwe marching to Madrid

Friend and colleague in Zimbabwe, Sara Moyo has just sent Afro Leo news of Zimbabwe's accession to Madrid:

“In consequence of high level consultations held by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) with Government, commerce and various IP stakeholders in Zimbabwe in August 2012 on the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks, the Government of Zimbabwe made a decision to accede to the Protocol relating to The Madrid Agreement Concerning The International Registration Of Marks.

The Madrid Protocol was approved by House of Assembly on 15 May 2013 and further approved by the Senate on 22 May 2013.

However the Madrid Protocol is not yet in force in Zimbabwe.


This is because in terms of the provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (both the old Lancaster House Constitution as well as the new 2013 Constitution), international conventions and agreements concluded by the Executive Government are not binding on Zimbabwe until such international conventions and agreements have been approved by the joint Houses of Parliament, and incorporated into law by or under an Act of Parliament.”

Darren Olivier

Darren Olivier

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