Classification

The International Classification of Goods and Services (Nice Classification) is applied. OAPI is a multi-class registration system.

Convention priority

Convention priority may be claimed under the Paris Convention on the basis of an earlier application filed in a convention country not more than six months prior to the OAPI application.

Examination/procedure

The application is filed at the OAPI office; since an application covers all member states there is no need for countries to be designated. The OAPI office examines the application to determine whether it complies with the formal and substantive requirements. If it finds that the conditions for registration have been met, an acceptance notice will be issued. The trade mark will then be published for opposition purposes. If the opposition term expires without incident, the registration certificate will be issued. The grant of a registration will also be published in the Gazette but only to notify third parties of the registration and the statutory rights secured by the trade mark owner.

Opposition

In the case of trade mark applications filed from 1 January 2022, any interested party may oppose the registration of a trade mark within three months from the publication date referred to above (see the section on Examination/ procedure above). The deadline is not extendible.

In the case of trade marks with filing dates prior to 1 January 2022, the opposition term is for a period of six months from the date of publication.

The opposition deadline is not extendible.

Duration and renewal

A trade mark registration is effective for a period of 10 years from the date of application for registration and may be renewed for consecutive periods of 10 years upon payment of the renewal fees. A six-months grace period is allowed for the late payment of the renewal fees.

This is an OAPI member country, please refer to OAPI Patent section.

This is an OAPI member country, please refer to OAPI Design section.

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