Gambia

General Information

  • Area: Approximately 11 300 km2
  • Population: 1.8 million
  • Capital: Banjul
  • Currency:  Dalasi
  • GDP:  $ 3.4 billion (2010)
  • Domain name extension: .gm
  • Languages: English (official language)
  • Exports: Groundnuts and related products; cotton lint; fish and fish products; palm kernels
  • Imports: Foodstuffs; manufactures; raw materials; fuel machinery; transport equipment

International / Regional conventions:

  • Banjul Protocol (of ARIPO)
  • Berne Convention
  • Paris Convention
  • Patent Cooperation Treaty
  • Patent Law Treaty
  • WIPO Convention
  • WTO/TRIPS

Trade Mark Information

International and Regional Arrangements:

Madrid Agreement:      No

Paris Union:                   Yes

Types of Trade Marks:

Goods and services

Collective marks

No provision for defensive marks

Classification:

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

Filing Requirements:

Particulars of Applicant (name, address and nationality)

Simply signed Power of Attorney

Representation of the mark

List of goods and / or services

Certified copy of the priority document

Duration:

The trade mark is registered 10 years from the filing date

Renewal:
Renewable every 10 years

Patent Information

International and Regional Arrangements:

Paris Convention:  Yes

PCT:  Yes (national phase deadline is 30 months from the priority date)

ARIPO:  Yes (see ARIPO requirements for designating Gambia in an ARIPO application)

OAPI:  No

Filing Requirements:

Published PCT Application and English translation thereof, or English specification, claims and abstract if non-PCT (required on the day of filing)

Power of Attorney, simply signed (no set deadline)

Assignment of Invention, simply signed (no set deadline)

International Search Report and International Preliminary Examination Report (no set deadline)

Certified priority document (if not lodged during the international phase)(can be filed within 3 months)

Novelty
Absolute novelty is required
Patentability
Methods of treatment, surgery or diagnosis are not patentable
Excess Fees:
None
Examination:
As to form only
Term of Patent:
15 years from the effective filing date, extendible by a further 5 years. 20 years for an ARIPO patent
Renewals:
Payable annually in advance from the first anniversary of the effective filing date