Ethiopia

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General Information

  • Area: Approximately 1 104 000 km2
  • Population: 88 million
  • Capital: Addis Ababa
  • Currency:  Birr
  • GDP:  $ 84 billion (2010)
  • Domain name extension: .et
  • Languages: Amharic (official language), Afar (Danakil), Somali, Tigriñya, English
  • Exports: Coffee; leather products; gold; oil seed
  • Imports: Food and live animals; petroleum and petroleum products; chemicals; machinery; motor vehicles and aircraft

International / Regional conventions:

  • Paris Convention
  • WIPO Convention

Trade Mark Information

International and Regional Arrangements:

Madrid Agreement:        No

Paris Union:                     No

Types of Trade Marks:

Goods and services

Collective marks

Classification:

The International Classification of Goods and Services (Nice Classification) is applied.

Filing Requirements:

Particulars of Applicant (name, address and nationality)

Power of Attorney, legalized up to the Ethiopian Consulate

Certified copy of Home Registration Certificate, with verified English translation

Representation of the mark

List of goods and / or services

Certified copy of the priority document

Duration:

The trade mark is registered 7 years from the filing date

Renewal:
Renewable every 7 years

Patent Information

International and Regional Arrangements:

Paris Convention:  No (priority may nevertheless be claimed from a foreign application filed not more than 12 months previously)

PCT:  No

ARIPO:  No

OAPI:  No

Other:  A Patent of Introduction can be filed based on a foreign granted patent

Filing Requirements:

For a patent of invention:

Specification, claims, abstract and drawings in English or Amharic (required on day of filing)

International Patent Classification (required on day of filing)

Power of Attorney, legalised (can be filed within 2 months of filing date)

Assignment of Invention & Priority Rights, legalised (only if inventor is not employee of the applicant) (can be filed within 2 months of filing date)

Certified priority document with verified English translation if not in English (can be filed within 3 months of filing date)

Patent of Introduction:

Certified and notarised copy of foreign granted patent with English translation thereof if not in English (required on day of filing)

Power of Attorney, legalised (can be filed within 1 month of the filing date)

Assignment of Invention & Priority Rights, simply signed (can be filed within 2 months of filing date)

Novelty
Absolute novelty is required
Patentability
Methods of medical treatment, surgery or diagnosis are not patentable
Excess Fees:
None
Examination:
Applications automatically proceed to substantive examination
Term of Patent:
A Patent of Invention is valid for 15 years from the filing date, extendible for a further 5 years provided the invention is properly worked in Ethiopia. A Patent of Introduction expires with the patent on which is it based, with a maximum term of 10 years.
Renewals:
Payable annually in advance from the first anniversary of the effective filing date

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