Guinea-Bissau was admitted to the Organisation on the 8th of July 1998. This means that all new applications filed in OAPI after that date will extend to Guinea-Bissau as well as existing Member States. The following is a list of the Member States of OAPI as at 8 July 1998:
(1) BENIN (9) GUINEA BISSAU (2) BURKINA FASO (10) MALI (3) CAMEROON (11) MAURITANIA (4) CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (12) NIGER (5) REPUBLIC OF CONGO (13) SENEGAL (6) COTE D'IVOIRE (14) CHAD (7) GABON (15) TOGO (8) GUINEA
Before its admission to the Organisation there had been no provision for the registration of industrial property in Guinea-Bissau and cautionary notices were only published. OAPI has announced that it is now possible to extend existing trademark, patent, utility model, label of origin, trade name and design rights to Guinea-Bissau on payment of an extension fee.
The procedures and fees for the extension of Intellectual Property rights were adopted at the last meeting of the Board of Directors of OAPI held on the 4th of December 1998 in Nouakchott. These procedures will also apply to Mali and Guinea, who joined OAPI on 30th of September 1984, and the 13th of January 1990 respectively as there was no facility for existing IP rights to be extended to these countries when they joined the Organisation.
If you would like to obtain a copy of the extension procedures please contact B W KAHARI LAW OFFICE.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
