Burundi is a member of the Paris Convention and the WTO/TRIPS.

Patent protection is available by way of a national filing. Burundi is a member of the Paris Convention so that convention priority may be claimed. Burundi is not a member of the PCT so that applications cannot be filed in Burundi via PCT. However, the Law does provide that the Industrial Property Director must take into consideration an international search report and an international preliminary report issued under PCT.

Burundi is a member of the Paris Convention and the WTO/TRIPS.

Although regulations to implement the 2009 Law have not yet been promulgated, the 2009 Law is currently applied by the Registrar. Design protection is available by way of a national filing. Burundi is a member of the Paris Convention so that convention priority may be claimed.

Copyright is recognised, protected and enforced in Burundi in terms of the Copyright Act No. 1/021 of 30 December 2005. Copyright protection provided for by the Act is not subject to formalities, which means that copyright protection vests automatically in respect of works that are eligible for copyright protection in terms of the Act.

The Act provides protection to the author of a literary or artistic work, or to his successor in title. The following works are eligible for copyright protection:

• books, pamphlets and other writings, including computer programs
• speeches, addresses, sermons and other works of a similar nature
• dramatic and dramatico-musical works
• musical works, with or without words
• choreographic works, pantomimes
• audiovisual works
• works of art, including drawings, paintings, architecture, sculpture, gravure, lithography, tapestry
• photographic works
• works of applied art
• illustrations, maps, plans, three-dimensional works related to geography, topography, architecture and science.

Copyright also extends to –

• translations, adaptations, arrangements of musical and literary and artistic works
• collections and compilations of works and data
• original works inspired by folklore

Plant breeders’ rights are recognised and governed by Decree No. 100/055 of 23 March 2016, relating to the protection of plants. Seeds are governed by the Seed sector Act No. 1 /08 of 23 April 2012.