Zambia

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General Information

  • Area: Approximately 752 600 km2
  • Population: 13.5 million
  • Capital: Lusaka
  • Currency:  Zambian Kwacha
  • GDP:  $ 20 billion (2010)
  • Domain name extension: .zm
  • Languages: English (official language), Bemba, Lozi, Tonga, Nyanja
  • Exports: Copper; cobalt; tobacco; flowers; cotton
  • Imports:  Machinery; transportation equipment; foodstuffs; fuel; petroleum products; electricity; fertilizer; clothing

International / Regional conventions:

  • Berne Convention
  • Madrid Protocol on Marks
  • Paris Convention
  • Patent Cooperation Treaty
  • WIPO Convention
  • WTO/TRIPS

Trade Mark Information

International and Regional Arrangements:

Madrid Agreement:      Yes

Paris Union:                Yes

Types of Trade Marks:

Goods marks

Certification marks

Series marks

Defensive marks

No provision for service 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 7 years from the filing date

Renewal:
Renewable every 14 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 Zambia in an ARIPO application)

OAPI:  No

Filing Requirements:

Published PCT application or English specification, claims, abstract and drawings (required on the day of filing)

Power of Attorney, simply signed (required on the day of filing)

Assignment of Invention (no set deadline)

International Search Report and International Preliminary Report on Patentability (no set deadline)

Certified priority document with verified English translation (can be filed within 6 months)

Novelty
Local novelty is required. Additionally, the invention must not have been described in a printed publication published outside of Zambia less than fifty years prior to the priority date
Patentability
Inventions capable of being used as a surgical or curative device are not patentable
Excess Fees:
None
Examination:
As to form only
Term of Patent:
16 years from the effective filing date, extendable for up to 5 years and in exceptional circumstances up to 10 years. The term of an ARIPO patent is 20 years
Renewals:
Payable annually on the anniversary of the effective filing date

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