Tunisia

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General Information

  • Area: Approximately 163 600 km2
  • Population: 10.6 million
  • Capital: Tunis
  • Currency: Tunisian Dinar
  • GDP: $ 100.3 billion (2010)
  • Domain name extension: .tn
  • Languages: Arabic (official language), French
  • Exports: Agricultural products; chemicals and phosphates; electrical equipment; mechanical goods; semi-finished goods, textiles and clothing
  • Imports: Hydrocarbons; food; textiles; machinery and equipment; chemicals

International / Regional conventions:

  • Berne Convention
  • Hague Agreement on Designs
  • Nice Agreement on Classification of Marks
  • Paris Convention
  • Patent Cooperation 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
Well-known 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 incorporating a French translation
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: No
OAPI: No

Filing Requirements:

Published PCT application or specification, abstract and drawings if non-PCT (required on the day of filing)
Power of Attorney, simply signed (can be filed within 2 months)
Assignment of Invention, simply signed (if not filed during international phase)
English, French or Arabic translation of specification, claims and abstract if the PCT application was filed in another language (can be filed within 3 months)
International Search Report and International Preliminary Examination Report (no set deadline)
Certified priority document (if not lodged in the international phase) – can be filed within 3 month

Novelty
Absolute novelty is required
Patentability
Methods of medical treatment, surgery or diagnosis are not patentable
Excess Fees:
Excess fees are incurred for more than 10 claims, payable at the time of filing
Examination:
As to form only
Term of Patent:
20 years from the effective filing date
Renewals:
Payable annually in advance from the first anniversary of the effective filing date

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