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...

On 18th December 2017, the President of the Republic of Belarus signed the Law “On Amendments and Additions to the Law of the Republic of Belarus" in respect of Patents for Inventions, Utility Models and Industrial Designs ". This law will come into force on 7th July 2018.  Inter alia, the following changes and additions of significance will be introduced:   - The definition of an invention and the subject matter that cannot be considered as an invention will be clarified; - The...