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Regional Groups

OAPI

OAPI is an organization for the protection of Intellectual Property consisting of former French colonies whose official language is French (French speaking African countries). By the Accords de Libreville and Banjul, they established common Intellectual Property laws and a single Intellectual Property office situated in Yaoundé in Cameroon.

All member states are automatically covered in an OAPI trademark application, and it is not possible to select only some member states

An OAPI registration covers all 17 member states and it is no longer necessary or possible to seek protection in individual member countries.

Brief Description

French is the generally spoken language in all of the member countries and at the OAPI registry. The OAPI Registry is situated in Yaoundé Capital of Cameroon.

A single application automatically covers all member states and it is not possible to designate the countries of interest. There are provisions for the registration of SERVICE MARKS and COLLECTIVE MARKS.
There are no provisions for the registration of DEFENSIVE MARKS or SERIES MARKS.
The International Classification of goods and services applies (8th edition).
Multi class applications are provided for (additional fees being payable in respect of the fourth and each subsequent class) but goods and services cannot both be covered in the same application.

Patents

Filing requirements

Patents of invention (non-PCT)

  • Power of Attorney (simply signed) (can be late filed within 3 months)
  • Specification, claims and abstract in English or French (required on day of filing)
  • Formal drawings, if applicable (required on day of filing)
  • Assignment of Priority Rights (can be late filed within 3 months)
  • Priority document with a verified English or French translation thereof (can be late filed within 6 months)

Regional Phase PCT applications

  • Power of Attorney (simply signed) (can be late filed within 3 months)
  • Specification, claims and abstract in English or French (required on day of filing)
  • Formal drawings, if applicable (required on day of filing)
  • Assignment of Priority Rights (can be late filed within 6 months)
  • Copy of International Publication (required on day of filing)
  • Copy of International Search Report (can be late filed, no set deadline)
  • Copy of International Preliminary Report on Patentability (can be late filed, no set deadline)
Designs

Filing Requirements

  1. Power of Attorney (can be late filed).
  2. Drawings or photographs of design (required on the day of filing).
  3. Description/statement of novelty (required on the day of filing).
  4. Priority Document (can be late filed within three months from filing).
  5. Sworn Translation of Priority Document if not in English or French (can be late filed within three months from filing).
  6. Priority Assignment, if applicable (can be late filed within three months from filing).
  7. Sworn Translation of Priority Assignment if not in English or French.
  8. Details of International Classification (can be late filed within three months from filing).

Average Period from Application to Registration

One year.

Duration and Renewal

The initial term of an OAPI design registration is five years from the filing date. This term is extendible, upon payment of the required fees, for two further terms of five years each.