Benin

Trade Mark

Forms part of

No
ARIPO
Yes
OAPI
No
MADRID
No
WELL-KNOWN TRADE MARKS RECOGNISED?
No
NICE CLASSIFICATION

10 Edition

Benin is a member of the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI) and it is not possible to file a patent application nationally in Benin.

OAPI

ARIPO

General

The ARIPO trade mark system is governed by the Banjul Protocol on marks. 10 of the 19 ARIPO member states are members of the Banjul Protocol, namely Botswana, Liberia, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, São Tomé & Principe, Swaziland, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

It is possible to designate any or all of the member states under a single trade mark application using the ARIPO system.

It is important to note that not all countries who are signatories to the Banjul Protocol have amended their national legislation to incorporate ARIPO enabling provisions and the enforceability of ARIPO registrations in the countries that have not yet done so are therefore questionable.

Classification

ARIPO follows a multi-class filing system and recognises both goods and services classes in terms of the 11th edition of the Nice Classification.

Registration Procedure

ARIPO applications are subject to formal examination by the ARIPO office and substantive examination by the Registry of each designated member state in accordance with its national laws.

ARIPO applications are published for opposition purposes in the ARIPO journal and are open to opposition for a period of 3 months from the date of publication. Oppositions are dealt with in accordance with the national laws of the designated member state in respect of which the opposition is raised.

Duration of Registration and Renewal

ARIPO Trade Mark registrations are valid for 10 years from the date of filing and may be renewed indefinitely for 10-year periods thereafter.


 

Patent

Forms part of

No
ARIPO
Yes
OAPI
Yes
PARIS CONVENTION
Yes
PCT
Benin is a member of the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI) and it is not possible to file a patent application nationally in Benin.

OAPI

ARIPO

Design

Forms part of

No
ARIPO
Yes
OAPI
Yes
PARIS CONVENTION
Benin is a member of the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI) and it is not possible to register a design nationally in Benin.

OAPI

ARIPO