Following a notice issued by the Director General of ARIPO, Bemanya Twebaze, on 31 January 2025, amendments to the Harare Protocol and its Regulations came into effect on 1 March 2025.
The Harare Protocol governs the filing of patent, utility model, and industrial design applications at ARIPO, allowing applicants to designate up to 22 member states. The ARIPO Protocol remains a crucial mechanism for securing intellectual property protection across multiple African jurisdictions efficiently.
KEY CHANGES
- Revised Time Limits: Adjustments to deadlines for responding to certain ARIPO notifications.
- Divergent Claim Sets: Patents can now proceed to grant with different claim sets for different designated states—an important improvement for applicants facing country-specific objections.
- Administrative Enhancements: Updates focused on improving operational efficiency within the ARIPO Secretariat.
Additionally, ARIPO has significantly increased official fees for various patent and design services and introduced new fee items.
(Source: Bergenthuin Inc)
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