New Rules for Trade Mark Renewals in Ethiopia to Take Effect Immediately

The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office has issued a notice requiring trade mark proprietors whose trade marks are coming up for renewal to ensure that the renewals are published in the official gazette and a local newspaper.

This notice seeks to enforce the

renewal procedure as found in the 2006 Trade Mark Registration and Protection Proclamation Act (No. 25) which details the requirements for the publication of renewed trade marks.

The renewal procedures will apply immediately and applicants renewing their trade marks will proceed as follows:

• Trade mark proprietors appply to renew their trade mark.

• Once accepted the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO) will record the renewals;

• The EIPO will then release a notice of the renewal in the gazette and an Amharic newspaper having nation wide circulation at the cost of the trade mark proprietor.

While all notices will be in Amharic, the trade mark owner may request the same in English in addition to the Amharic version.

For more information kindly contact Carole Theuri