Industrial Design Registration at OAPI – Every company that owns an industrial design and intends to expand its business in the OAPI market should use OAPI’s intellectual property system.
The Organization of African Intellectual Property (OAPI) is headquartered in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The organization was established under the Bangui Agreement of 2 March 1977. The Bangui Agreement was subsequently amended in 1999. The protection of IPR rights registered in OAPI will automatically enter into force in 17 countries. Current members: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Certificates of registration of IPRs in the OAPI region will automatically enter into force in the territories of all member states.
Requirements for industrial design registration dossiers at OAPI
The time limit for filing an industrial design application for the priority right at OAPI is 6 months from the priority date.
The following information and documents need to be provided in the application for registration of an industrial design at the Office of the Organization of African Intellectual Property (OAPI):
- requirements for registration of industrial designs at OAPI;
- name, address, and nationality of the applicant, business address;
- industrial design name;
- design drawings;
- description of the industrial design;
- proof of payment of the respective fees.
Legalization of Power of Attorney is not required. The deadline for submitting this document to OAPI is 3 months from the date of issuance of the respective notice.
For confirmation of priority, a notarized copy of the priority document and a translation in English or French must be provided within three months of the filing date of the industrial design application.
Examination of industrial design applications at OAPI
Industrial design applications at OAPI only have to go through a formal examination process.
Validity period and renewal of industrial designs at OAPI
Official grant fees for industrial design patents at OAPI are not regulated. Industrial designs that have been successfully registered at OAPI will be valid for 5 years and can be renewed for 2 more times, 5 years each time.
Represented by an industrial design registration attorney
An international applicant for an industrial design registration at OAPI should conduct an industrial design search at OAPI through a law firm, or an experienced industrial design attorney.