Morocco

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General Information

  • Area: Approximately 446 500 km2
  • Population: 31.6 million
  • Capital: Rabat
  • Currency: Moroccan Dirham
  • GDP: $ 153.8 billion (2010)
  • Domain name extension: .ma
  • Languages: Arabic (official language), French, Spanish, Berber
  • Exports: Food and beverages; semi-processed goods; consumer goods; phosphates; crude minerals
  • Imports: Gas and electricity; crude petroleum; textile fabric; telecommunication equipment; wheat; transistors; plastic

International / Regional conventions:

  • Berne Convention
  • Hague Agreement on Designs
  • Madrid Agreement on Source of Goods
  • Madrid Agreement on Marks
  • Madrid Protocol on Marks
  • Nice Agreement on Classification of Marks
  • Paris Convention
  • Patent Cooperation Treaty
  • Trade Mark Law Treaty
  • WIPO Convention
  • WIPO Copyright Treaty
  • WTO/TRIPS

Trade Mark Information

International and Regional Arrangements:

Madrid Agreement: Yes
Paris Union: Yes

Types of Trade Marks:

Goods and services
Collective marks
No provision for defensive marks or series 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 incorporating a French translation
Representation of the mark
List of goods and / or services
Certified copy of the priority document with verified French translation

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 31 months from the priority date)
ARIPO: No
OAPI: No
Other: Validation of European application in Morocco (only available where the PCT application was filed after 31 March 2015)

Filing Requirements:

Specification, claims, abstract and drawings (required on day of filing)
French or Arabic translation of specification, claims, abstract and drawings (can be filed within 3 months)
Power of Attorney, notarised (can be filed within 3 months)
Assignment of Priority rights, notarised (can be late filed)
Certified priority document with verified French Translation thereof (if not lodged in the international phase) (can be filed within 3 months)
International Patent Classification (can be late filed)

PCT National phase application

Published PCT application or specification, abstract and drawings if non-PCT (required on the day of filing)
French or Arabic translation of specification, claims, abstract and drawings (can be filed within 3 months of filing)
International Search Report and International Preliminary Examination Report (no set deadline)
Power of Attorney, notarised (can be filed within 3 months)
Assignment of Priority rights, notarised (can be late filed)

Novelty
Absolute novelty is required
Patentability
Methods of medical treatment, surgery or diagnosis are not patentable
Excess Fees:
Excess fees are payable for more than 10 claims, payable within 3 months of filing
Examination:
Substantive examination must be requested at the time of filing the application
Term of Patent:
20 years from the effective filing date
Renewals:
Payable annually in advance from the first anniversary of the effective filing date (but only due after grant)

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