Intellectual Property

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5 Reasons Why You Should Patent Your Idea

5 Reasons Why You Should Patent Your Idea

If you have an idea that you believe could revolutionize an industry or address a pressing problem, it is essential to comprehend why you should patent your idea. Obtaining a patent offers numerous benefits and is a crucial step in protecting your intellectual property. By securing your idea, you...

South African Complete Patent

South African Complete Patent

The second step is to file a complete patent application within 12 months of filing the provisional patent application in South Africa, and/or in each country where you wish to obtain patent protection. The complete patent application will claim a first (or “priority”) date from your provisional...

South African Complete Patent

Provisional Patent Application

The first step is to file a South African provisional patent application for your invention. This is done to obtain the earliest possible date from which to claim rights to your invention – much like an option to protect your invention. Obtaining a patent is a two-step process that is spaced 12...

Central African Republic Trade Marks

Central African Republic Trade Marks

International and Regional Systems: Paris Convention PCT OAPI Member of OAPI, a regional filing system which covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and...

Central African Republic Trade Marks

Central African Republic Patents

International and Regional Systems: Paris Convention PCT OAPI Member of OAPI, a regional filing system which covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and...

Cameroon Trade Marks

Cameroon Trade Marks

International and Regional Systems: Paris Convention PCT OAPI Member of OAPI, a regional filing system which covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and...

Cameroon Trade Marks

Cameroon Patents

International and Regional Systems: Paris Convention PCT OAPI Member of OAPI, a regional filing system which covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and...

Burkina Faso Trade Marks

Burkina Faso Trade Marks

International and Regional Systems: Paris Convention PCT OAPI Member of OAPI, a regional filing system which covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and...

Burkina Faso Trade Marks

Burkina Faso Patents

International and Regional Systems: Paris Convention PCT OAPI Member of OAPI, a regional filing system which covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and...

Benin Patents

Benin Patents

International and Regional Systems: Paris Convention PCT OAPI Member of OAPI, a regional filing system which covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and...

Benin Patents

Benin Trade Marks

International and Regional Systems: Paris Convention PCT OAPI Member of OAPI, a regional filing system which covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and...

South Sudan

South Sudan

There is currently no legislation in terms of Industrial Property in South Sudan and therefore it is not possible to obtain registered trade mark, patent or design rights.

Sudan

Sudan

Smit & Van Wyk assists with the protection of Intellectual Property in Sudan, including the filing, prosecution and enforcement of patents, designs, trade marks, copyright and plant breeders’ rights. Our team of Intellectual Property attorneys have the knowledge, experience and resources to...

South African Complete Patent

Patent and Design renewal deadlines in South Africa

Failure to have a thorough understanding of renewal fee deadlines can have dire consequences for patentees and design owners. If a renewal fee is not paid within the 6 month grace period after the renewal fee deadline, the patent or design will lapse with a concomitant loss of rights to the...

Algeria Trade Marks

Algeria Trade Marks

Types of Trade Marks: Collective marks Standard marks  Filing Requirements: Simply signed Power of Attorney (separate Power of Attorney is required for each application) Details of the Applicant (full names, physical address, nationality/country of incorporation) Representation of the trade...

OAPI Trade Marks

OAPI Trade Marks

OAPI is a member of the Madrid Protocol. The Madrid Protocol is an international treaty designed to simplify the international trademark registration process. Using this process, registrants are able to complete a single application, in their home language, that can then be applied to over 90...

Uganda Trade Mark Regulations Amendments

Uganda Trade Mark Regulations Amendments

“The Trademarks Act No.17, 2010 was recently amended by the Trademark (Amendment) Regulations No. 9 of 2021”. Uganda has recently amended its Trade Mark Regulations, bringing about several changes.  The most noteworthy changes relate to the following: Trade mark agents, classification of...

Recent Increase in Trade Mark Filings in South Africa

Recent Increase in Trade Mark Filings in South Africa

According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), South Africa is currently grouped under middle-income countries, amongst other African countries such as Egypt and Algeria.  In their WIPO IP Facts and Figures 2019 study published in 2020, WIPO reported that there was a 46.8%...

Trade Mark Registrations and Information

Trade Mark Registrations and Information

Trade Mark registrations provides wide-ranging protection against infringement of your brand. A trade mark is typically a word, name, phrase, logo, symbol, design, image, or a combination of these elements. Trade marks are registered in different classes that cover all goods and services. You will...

How to Register a Trade Mark

How to Register a Trade Mark

Register a trade mark that uniquely identifies and distinguishes the products and services for which it is used. You can register a trade mark under the regulations of the South African Trade Marks Act No. 194 of 1993. The mark may be renewed indefinitely every 10 years to...