News & Insights
Understanding "Voetstoots" Beyond the Physical Condition of the Property
The term “voetstoots“, derived from Dutch and meaning “as is”, is a common legal term in South African property law. In property sale transactions, the principle implies that the property is sold in its current condition, with all its defects, whether patent (meaning visible) or latent (meaning hidden). If included as a condition in the […]
July 17 2024
An Intellectual Property “Starter Kit” for Startups
Intellectual capital, intellectual property, trade marks, company names, domain names, clearance searches, licensing, patents, designs, trade secrets, copyright … These words or phrases may sound like buzzwords to entrepreneurs, but these words and phrases are keywords for the long-term success of any enterprise. Intellectual property comprises intangible assets which should be protected and leveraged to […]
July 17 2024
ETHIOPIA – Country Visit
Adams & Adams Partner, Stephen Hollis, and Africa Practice Manager, Menzi Maboyi, travelled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 23 – 26 June 2024 to visit our Associate Office and the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Authority (EIPA), where they were scheduled to meet with the Director General (DG) of the EIPA, Mr Woldu Yemessel Baraki, and the […]
July 16 2024
7th OAPI/ARIPO Joint Commission discusses cooperation
At a meeting in Harare, the 7th OAPI/ARIPO Joint Commission met to discuss renewed and deepening cooperation between the two African regional Intellectual Property Organisations. A social media post by ARIPO indicated that the Commission started with an Experts Meeting to develop a 2024-2025 Work Plan detailing strategic areas of cooperation between the two organisations. […]
July 15 2024
Copyright and Related Rights Day
The Tunisian Organization for Copyright and Related Rights (OTDAV) organized the “Tunisian Days of Copyright and Neighboring Rights”, which was held on the 4th and 5th of June. This was the third such event of its kind, which we have reported on previously. The event saw the signing of agreements with several Tunisian universities as […]
July 15 2024
MultiChoice arrests video streaming pirates
In part of its ongoing clampdown on content piracy, South African broadcasting company MultiChoice has announced the arrest of two suspects associated with the Waka TV video streaming piracy operation. The arrests were the culmination of an operation carried out in collaboration with the cybersecurity company Irdeto and the Western Cape’s Cyber Crime Unit. The […]
July 15 2024
43 arrested for production of counterfeit SIM cards
In conflicting news for proponents of South African advanced manufacturing, youth employment and multi-national cooperation, the Gauteng Organised Crime Investigation Unit recently raided a counterfeit SIM card factory located in a house in Sandton. Once on the scene, it found and arrested either 43 or 45 individuals aged between 17 and 36, including two South […]
July 15 2024
OAPI grants geographical indication to madd of Casamance
In yet more Geographical Indication (GI) news, the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) granted a GI to the Senegalese government for the madd of Casamance. A certificate to this effect was handed over on the 26th of June. Madd, also known as weda or laare, is a species of fruit-bearing plant which produces a hard-shelled […]
July 15 2024
Workshop on TRIPS
From 28 to 30 May 2024, the World Trade Organisation, in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, hosted a 3-day national workshop on the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (“the TRIPS Agreement”). Although Nigeria has been a signatory of the TRIPS Agreement since 1994, the provisions of the […]
July 15 2024
Partners against Piracy launched in Namibia
In further news from Namibia, Partners against Piracy, an initiative spearheaded by MultiChoice, has now launched in Namibia. The initiative, which aims to reduce content piracy, involves a partnership with the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa), the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), Namibia Film Commission (NFC) and Co-Creation Hub. The event included […]
July 15 2024
More on the Draft Data Protection Bill
Some of our readers may be aware of long-running discussions regarding the implementation of data protection legislation in Namibia. These efforts culminated in the publication of a Draft Data Protection Bill (2022) by the Namibian Ministry of Information and Communication Technology. The latest Bill was published for consultation and public comment in October 2022. However, […]
July 15 2024
Morocco leads the pack in African Geographical Indications
As recently reported, Morocco presently boasts the largest number of Geographical Indications (GIs) in Africa with 68 so-called ‘sui generis’ GIs recorded. This is followed distantly by South Africa, with 24, and Tunisia, with 16. GIs are used to designate products produced in a specific geographical region, and with qualities or a reputation tied to […]
July 15 2024
Ongoing strike action by the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG)
Information received from our hardworking local office in Ghana indicates that the ongoing strike by the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) has caused the Industrial Property Office (IPO) and the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) to close from 3 July 2024 until further notice. We understand that payment issues are the reason […]
July 15 2024
OGAPI seminar raises awareness of Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Heritage
The General Directorate of the Gabonese Industrial Property Office (OGAPI) recently organized a seminar in Libreville on the theme of model laws on Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Heritage. The seminar presented model laws, with the aim of providing OAPI member states with a harmonized legal framework for the management of Genetic Resources, Traditional […]
July 15 2024
OAPI grants collective trademark for Attiéké
In further Geographical Indication (GI) news, the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) has reportedly granted a collective trademark for Attiéké, a fermented cassava semolina traditionally produced by the lagoon communities of Côte d’Ivoire. The grant of this GI will hopefully strengthen the profile and desirability of this unique local foodstuff, which has been touted as […]
July 15 2024
WIPO Commits to Supporting Cameroon's Intellectual Property Strategy Revamp
WIPO Director General, Daren Tang, recently concluded a series of meetings culminating in his attending the Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Conference (HIPOC) of African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI). This reportedly marks the first ever visit of a WIPO DG to both Cameroon and to OAPI headquarters. As part of the visit, the DG met […]
July 15 2024
CNIPA launches Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program
From 8 June 2024 to 7 June 2029, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) will be implementing a bilateral Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program in partnership with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). When using the PPH, an applicant which receives a positive examination in one jurisdiction can request expedited examination of […]
July 15 2024
Africa group asks for changes to WTO rules
On the 19th of June, the Africa Group at the World Trade Organization (WTO) has again asked for changes to WTO rules governing the acquisition and transfer of IP for the purpose of tackling a number of environmental and development challenges. This follows the March 2023 publication of a communication which laid out the groups’ […]
July 15 2024