As reported previously, the European Patent Office (EPO) President and the Cambodian Minister of Industry and Handicraft signed a Validation State Agreement on 23rd January 2017, and it has now been announced that this Agreement will come into force on 1st March 2018.   From that date, it will be possible to obtain patent protection in Cambodia by validating European patents and patent applications (including PCT regional phase applications) filed on or after 1st March 2018. This...

The Jamaican IPO abolished the requirement to file Deeds of Assignment in respect of Jamaican patent applications, following the issuance of a decision on 5th February 2015. However, we have just learnt that this requirement has been reinstated by the Registrar, at least for the time being, such that Deeds of Assignment from the inventor(s) to the applicant(s) must once again be filed in support of new patent applications.   A notarised copy of an existing Deed of Assignment may be filed...

A new trade mark law has been published in Malawi, namely the Trademarks Bill (2017). Once it enters into force, the new law will replace the existing Trade Marks Act 1957. Chief among the changes to be brought in by the new law will be the registration of service marks. There is also provision for the registration of collective marks, certification marks and Geographical Indications. Provision is made for encompassing the terms of the Banjul Protocol (which governs ARIPO trade marks) into the...