Ethiopia is not a member of the Paris Convention, nor of the Madrid Agreement/Protocol nor the WTO/TRIPS.

Trade marks may be registered in respect of goods and services. The law also provides for the registration of collective trade marks.

The new regulation provides that a trademark is now registered for 7 years from the date of filing the application as opposed to 6 years. The Registration also will no longer be subject to the former publication of cautionary notices every two years.

Types of Trademarks registrable

Goods and services
Collective marks

International and regional arrangements

None

Documents required for trademark registration

1. Full details of the applicant
2. Power of Attorney (legalized up to the Ethiopian Embassy), in English and Amharic
3. Specification of goods
4. Certified copy of the applicant’s certificate of incorporation or certified copy of Registration certificate
5. Specimen of the trademark

Renewals

Trademarks are valid at the first instance for 7 years counting from the application date. They are renewable thereafter for periods of 7 years.

Documents required for Renewals

Power of Attorney

Documents required for Assignments/Mergers

1. Power of Attorney.
2. Deed of Assignment, or other instrument of title, with English translation, signed and stamped by the translator.
3. 16 prints, except for word marks in ordinary type.

Documents required for Change of Name

1. Power of Attorney.
2. Certificate of change of name, with English translation, signed and stamped by the translator.*

Documents required for Change of Address

Power of Attorney.

Documents required for Licenses/Registered Users

1. Power of Attorney.
2. License Agreement, with verified English translation, signed and stamped by the translator.

* To be legalised up to an Ethiopian Consul.

Ethiopia is not a member of the Paris Convention, nor of the PCT or the WTO/TRIPS. However, priority is afforded on the basis of a first-filed application in another country.

Patent protection is obtainable by way of a patent granted on a national filing. A patent is granted in respect of an invention which entails patentable subject matter. A so-called patent of introduction (or importation) is granted to an invention which has been patented in another country where such patent has not yet expired (the period of protection being limited to 10 years). So-called minor (or petty) inventions may be protected by utility model certificates.

Filing requirements

Patents of Invention

1. Power of Attorney (legalised) (can be late filed within two months)
2. Specification, claims and abstract in English (required on the day of filing)
3. International Patent Classification (required on the day of filing)
4. Formal drawings, if applicable (required on the day of filing)
5. Assignment of Invention (legalised)
6. Certificate of Incorporation (legalised)
7. Priority document with verified English translation (to be lodged within three months)

Patents of Introduction

1. Power of Attorney (legalised) (can be late filed within two months)
2. Specification, claims and abstract in English (required on the day of filing)
3. Formal drawings, if applicable (required on the day of filing)
4. Certificate of Incorporation (legalised)
5. Certified copy of basic foreign granted patent (Certified)(required on the day of filing)

Grant and Renewal

the term of a patent of invention is fifteen years from the filing date. However the term of the patent may be extended for a further period of five years provided that proof is furnished that the invention is being properly worked in Ethiopia. The patent of introduction expires with the patent on which it is based, with a maximum term of ten years.

Renewal fees fall due annually commencing on the first anniversary of the filing date.

Ethiopia is not a member of the Paris Convention nor of the WTO/TRIPS; yet the law and the Ethiopian registry recognises a claim to priority rights provided the application is filed within six months of the first-filed corresponding application.

Protection may be obtained for an industrial design by way of a design certificate.

Design protection does not extend to any feature of the design which serves only to obtain a technical result.

Filing Requirements

1. Power of attorney, legalised (can be late filed within two months).
2. Assignment of design, legalised (can be late filed).
3. Drawings or photographs of the design (required on the day of filing).
4. Certified copy of priority document, if priority is claimed, with verified English translation (can be late filed within three months).
5. Description of the kind of products for which the industrial design is to be used (required on the day
   of filing).

Duration and Renewal:

A registered design has an initial term of five years from the filing date, which is extendible upon payment of renewal fees for two further term of five years, provided proof of use or working in Ethiopia is furnished.

Renewal fees are due annually in addition to the five year extension fees. Application for renewal must be filed at least ninety days prior to expiry of the term of protection. A grace period is provided in certain circumstances.

The Proclamation provides protection for copyright works, and also protects the rights of performers, producers of phonograms, and of broadcasters.

Ethiopia is not a member of the Berne Convention nor of the WTO/TRIPS.

The following works, if they are original and reduced to material form, are eligible for copyright protection:

• literary works, including books, pamphlets, articles and other writings
• oral works, including speeches, lectures, addresses, sermons
• musical works
• dramatic, dramatico-musical works, pantomimes, choreographic works, and other works created for stage production
• sound recordings and audio-visual works
• works of architecture
• works of fine arts, including drawings, paintings, sculpture, engravings, lithography, tapestry
• photographic and cinematographic works
• illustrations, maps, plans, sketches and three-dimensional works related to geography, topography, architecture or science
• computer programs
• derivative works, including translations, adaptations and arrangements
• collections of works, collections of mere data (databases), whether readable by machine or other form.