Africa’s largest Intellectual Property (IP) firm has won again – this time being crowned South African IP Law Firm of 2020 (MIP) and certified as a Top Tier IP Law Firm 2020 (Chambers Global Directory).

It has been confirmed that official fees in Angola are set to increase. The Presidential Decree no. 62/20 authorizing the increase was published in the Government Gazette of 4 March 2020. It has been advised that the new official fees will come into force on 20 March 2020.

Adams & Adams has been crowned South Africa’s Intellectual Property (IP) Law Firm of 2020. Africa’s largest IP law practice received top honours at the prestigious Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) awards ceremony held on 5 March 2020.

There are currently 6 WIPO External Offices worldwide. The first WIPO External Office in Africa was successfully opened less than a year ago in Algiers, Algeria and preparations for the opening of a second WIPO External Office in Africa are underway.

A round-up of recent economic, political and legal developments and trends that have taken place in Africa

The Somalia Registry is now operational and it is possible to file trade mark applications in Somalia.

The Tunisian Patent and Trademark Office (INNORPI) has announced a 100% increase in official trade mark fees, effective from 27 January 2020.

At the recent meeting of the ARIPO Administrative Council, held in Liberia between 18 and 20 November 2019, a number of amendments to the Banjul and Harare Protocols were adopted and came into force on 1 January 2020.

On Friday 29 November 2019, Mr Slyvance Sange’s tenure as the Managing Director of the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) came to an end. Deputy Managing Director of KIPI, Mr John Onyango, has been appointed as Acting Registrar by the Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Industrialisation.

Proprietors of trade marks in Rwanda should take note of an upcoming trade mark renewal deadline which may be relevant to their marks in this country.

Filling the gaps present in the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) 2008, the Franchising Association of South Africa’s (FASAs) will regulate the relationship between franchisors and franchisees going-forward.

In line with its growing relevance as an upper middle-income economy, Mauritius’ Intellectual Property (IP) regime is getting a makeover.

In considering the status of International Registrations in Zambia, the Registrar held that an IR is “a trade mark that is already on the register” as required in terms of Section 17 of the Zambian Trade Marks Act and “for all intents and purposes no different to an application filed locally”.

A Rwandan trade mark registration is valid for a 10 year period from the date of filing and is, thereafter, renewable for like periods. The Rwandan Registry allows for a grace period of 10 months following the expiry of a mark, within which to apply for the late renewal of a mark, subject to the payment of a penalty fee.

Proprietors of trade marks in Burundi should take note of an upcoming trade mark renewal deadline which may be relevant to their marks in this country.

While cross-examination or oral testimony is unlikely to be the norm in proceedings before the Registrar in Kenya, it is worth bearing in mind that, in certain circumstances, it is justifiable and within the discretion of the Registrar to direct that a deponent travel to Kenya to provide oral evidence.

Hya Matla Organics has found a way to deal with a plant that is choking Africa’s waterways, and Adams & Adams is leading the charge to protect their invention worldwide.

A round-up of recent economic, political and legal developments and trends that have taken place in Africa

With over 400 tech and innovation hubs across the continent, more and more Africans are creating tech-based solutions to solve local issues in their regions.

Of the 52 states that have signed the consolidated founding text of the AfCFTA Agreement, 22 have now complied with their domestic requirements for the ratification of the agreement.

The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO), in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO), has officially adopted an online trade mark filing system.