IP GUIDE: Registering trademarks in Egypt.

Registering trademarks in Egypt.
Trademark registration in Egypt is mandatory to be granted rights over a trademark, as it is a “first to file” jurisdiction. Only in a few exceptional cases can an unregistered trademark be protected. Trademark applications must be filed with the Trademarks and Industrial Designs Office, Internal Trade Development Authority under the Ministry of Trade and
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INSIGHTS | IP in Fashion: INSPIRATION VS. EXPLOITATION | Liz Lenjo

Special Guest Contributor Liz Lenjo, Managing Consultant of MyIP Legal Studio weighs in on IP implications in the fashion industry and the increasingly blurred line between ‘inspiration’ and ‘exploitation’ Liz Lenjo is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She specializes in Intellectual Property, Entertainment, Media and Fashion Law. Considered among the pioneers in
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INSIGHTS | IP Protection and Enforcement in Zanzibar | Mkama Kalebu

IP PROTECTION AND ENFORCEMENT IN ZANZIBAR
It is important to note at the outset that Zanzibar is one of the jurisdictions in East Africa that have successfully enacted better laws to protect Industrial Property rights. We say this for a reason, firstly Zanzibar has one law and a single institution that protects all Industrial Property rights. Secondly, Zanzibar’s Industrial Property Rights
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INSIGHTS | Making the AfCFTA work for Africa | Ivan Ojakol

The historic African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) officially entered into force, a year after it was officially launched in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
On the 30th of May 2019, the historic African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) officially entered into force, a year after it was officially launched in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. In terms of the number of participating countries, the AfCFTA has become the world’s largest free trade area since the formation of the World
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INSIGHTS | Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021 – Most Innovative African economies

Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021
Last month the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the 14th edition of its Global Innovation Index (GII). This looks to bring together different indicators that can help governments and others understand how different countries are doing in promoting innovation, which is taken to be a key source of growth and progress towards wider development
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IP NEWS | Cameroon joins Marrakesh treaty

Cameroon joins Marrakesh treaty
Cameroon is the latest African nation to join the Marrakesh treaty following the ratification of the treaty on October 5,2021.  The WIPO-administered Marrakesh Treaty, adopted on June 27, 2013, and entered into force on September 30, 2016, makes the production and international transfer of specially-adapted books for people with blindness or visual impairments easier. It
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INSIGHTS – Addressing African IP matters through Parliament | James Maridadi

African parliament
Special Guest Contributor Mr. James Maridadi, Founding Trustee, International Panel of Legislators Advancing African IP (IPLA), joins us for an interview in the 1st edition of AllThingsIP Africa magazine to discuss his role and ambition in advancing African IP through Parliament.   Can you tell us about IPLA and your role as founding trustee? IPLA
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INSIGHTS – Vaccine inequity & distribution | Dr. Fifa A Rahman

Vaccine Inequity And Distribution In Africa.
Special Guest Contributor Dr. Fifa A Rahman, Civil Society Representative – Access To Covid-19 Tools Accelerator And Principal Consultant, Matahari Global Solutions joins us for an interview in the 1st edition of AllThingsIP Africa magazine to discuss vaccine inequity and distribution in Africa. Can you tell us about the access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator
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IP implications of NFT Art

Image showing IP implications in NFT art
Art sales in Africa are on the rise. The past year and half has seen Sotheby’s recently concluded Modern & Contemporary African Art auction net $3.7 million, exceeding the lower end of its pre-sale estimate by over 40%. This uptrend is the direct result of online-only sales necessitated by the onset of the global pandemic.
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Risks and threats to brand protection in Nigeria.

Image showing brand protection in Nigeria with Nigeria flag
Introduction However well established a brand may be, it must  continue to adopt an intellectual property (IP) strategy that aligns with its business or organizational model and goals, otherwise it risks missing out on revenue opportunities. Today’s brands must have a winning strategy, leveraging on their IP portfolio to gain competitive global advantage. This is
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Procedure & Practice on trademark opposition Mainland Tanzania (Tanganyika) & Zanzibar.

Tanzania Zanzibar trademark registration
Introduction The United Republic of Tanzania is a result of joint union of two countries Tanganyika (Mainland Tanzania) and Zanzibar. These two countries united in 1964 whereby through the Union Charter they agreed on issues of union matters as stipulated in the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, 1977 (as amended from time to
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The Gambia ratifies the Banjul Protocol on Marks

Gambia flag
On the 3 May 2021, The Gambia deposited its instrument of ratification of the ARIPO Banjul Protocol on Marks with the Director General of  The African Regional Industrial Property Organization(ARIPO)  The country is now the 12th Contracting State to the Protocol. Pursuant to the above, with effect from 3 August 2021, The Gambia will be
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Coffee boom – Plant Variety Protection in Uganda

Uganda coffee exports 2020 UCDA
In 2020, Uganda’s coffee exports grew by 972,962 bags, a 22 percent increase from 2019. According to the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), the country’s agency mandated to control and market the crop,this increase is the highest since 1991 . Figures released by the UCDA show that exports for the calendar year January 2020 to
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Common Intellectual Property Misconceptions

common myths and misconceptions regarding intellectual property
How well do you understand intellectual property matters? While many people may have a general idea of what patent, copyright and trademark rights protect, there is still a lot of misinformation surrounding the topic. Here, we debunk a few of the most common misconceptions around what intellectual property rights confer and whether to pursue them
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Development of intellectual property principle in Tanzania: A lesson in the JC DECAUX SA case

Recently the High court of Tanzania developed a new principle to cure the gaps under section 31 and 32 of the Trade and Service Marks Act.  The decision aimed to extend the scope of the two sections of which should be interpreted to substantiate the justice between the parties and not to embark miscarriage of justice. A proprietor cannot claim exclusive right of the mark prior registered if the mark registered is confusing similar to the mark widely used and known trade mark while aware about the existence of the same.
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Guide to trademark opposition in Nigeria.

An opposition is a formal objection to the registering of a trademark. A trademark Opposition is an administrative procedure in which a party objects or opposes the registration of a trademark by another. Notice of Opposition is filed in writing by the opposing party in the format prescribed by the Trademark Act within two months from the date of publication of the proposed mark in the trademark journal.
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Comparative Innovation Analysis – Kenya and South Africa

Overall, Kenya and South Africa are two of the biggest and most innovative economies on the continent.  Since 2014, Kenya has been ranked as a lower middle income country because its per capita GDP crossed a World Bank threshold. While Kenya has a growing entrepreneurial middle class and steady growth, South Africa is an upper middle-income emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; and a stock exchange that is Africa’s largest and among the top 20 in the world.
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A guide to patent registration in Nigeria

A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, a product, or process providing or offering a new practical solution to a problem or dilemma. Patent application in Nigeria is regulated by the Patents and Design Act Cap P2 LFN 2004. A patent gives the inventor the exclusive right to exclude others from producing, using, or selling the patented invention in Nigeria without the patent owner's consent or being permitted by law, for the duration of 20 years subject to payment of annuities.
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A guide to trademark registration in Nigeria.

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation with the largest economy in the continent and a fast-growing services sector with an increasing need for consumer goods.  This, among other factors, makes trademark registration very important in this economy.
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Registration of trademark licence agreement.

In Nigeria, under the Trade Marks Act (TMA), a Trademark Licence Agreement may be registered by the licensee and the registered proprietor. The Trade Marks Act does not use license but describes it as a “right of use” or "permitted use" of a trademark. In the TMA such license agreement are known as the Registered User Agreement.
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Failure to file a counter-statement in trademark opposition proceedings in Nigeria.

Trademark registration in Nigeria is a process that is initiated by the applicant filing an application in any of the 45 class(es) under which his goods or services may be registered. Once the application is accepted by the Registry after an examination has been conducted, an acceptance letter is issued to the applicant and thereafter,
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AllThingsIP Africa: More than 35 Jurisdictions covered and still counting.

trademark services in Africa
Giving the global market direct access to resident intellectual property attorneys and agents in every African country.
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African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) Magazines

Catch up with the latest developments on intellectual property matters and innovation in the African continent. African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) Magazines
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Disrupting the African IP services value chain.

Introduction When one thinks of IP protection in Africa, a simple “trademark registration in Africa” or “intellectual property registration in Africa/specific country” search on Google should be good enough to solve their problem. However, this is not always the case as the search results in most cases bring more confusion. Simply put, the search results do
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Creating an industry, organisation and strategy-specific IP policy

Introduction Organisational intellectual property (patents, trademarks, trade secrets, confidential information etc.) can be utilised in different ways either internally by the owners or externally by licensees or third parties. This internal or external utilisation of IP comes with opportunities and challenges to businesses and institutions. These IP related opportunities and challenges require appropriate policies and
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The birth of a special court for IP Jurisprudence: An Analysis of the Lion Match Case IPT 01/16, Zimbabwe

Having been established in September 2010 through the Intellectual Property Tribunal Act [Chapter 26:08], the Intellectual Property Tribunal breathed life for the very first time, after years of existence on paper when it sat to decide on a appeal coming from a decision of the Controller of Patents, Trade Marks and Industrial Designs. To further enunciate the existence of
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Zimbabwe Launches IP Policy & Implementation Strategy

The much awaited National Intellectual Property Policy & Implementation Strategy for the government of Zimbabwe was officially launched today, June 28 2018. The colourful event held at Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare was well attended by various stakeholders including industry, academic and research institutions and the civic society. The guest of honour was the Minister
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Potential Geographical Indications (GIs) in Ghana: More attention required

Geographical Indications (GIs) by definition are signs used on products that identify them as originating from a particular place, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristics of the product are essentially attributable to its geographical origin. In order for a product to assume GI protection, the sign must identify the product as originating from
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Validation of European Patents by African Countries: Opinion on Morocco and Tunisia

My view is that to discuss the Validation issue, we need to be very careful not to build fences and argue from the other side (e.g Africa as a victim). Validation of patents is not about Europe gaining or Africa losing out, it is a principle premised on a plethora of founding rules, and we
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AllThingsIP Africa roars into life.

The 18th of January 2018 marked the start of a unique journey where the African Intellectual Property and innovation story is told by Africans themselves. The project was launched through a Facebook Live broadcast in Dubai which featured two IP Experts from Zimbabwe namely Miss Brenda Matanga, Managing Partner at BMatanga IP Attorneys and current
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AllThingsIP Africa set to be launched on 18 January 2018

The AllThingsIP Africa project will be launched on the 18th of January 2018. The online project is focused on establishing Intellectual Property-related dialogue across Africa and creating access to IP-related information, legal guidance and mentorship for African innovators. In addition, the project also looks at discussing and promoting issues related to innovation in Africa and
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