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Ethiopia
Information on the filing of Patents, Designs and trademarks in Ethiopia

PATENT REGISTRATIONS

Patent protection in Ethiopia is available via a national filing.

According to our information, Ethiopia has not signed any reciprocity agreements as regards the claiming of priority. However, from previous cases filed for clients in Ethiopia, it appears that the Ethiopian Patent Office is prepared to recognise priority claims provided the application is filed within 12 months of the first claim to priority.

The requirements for filing an application in Ethiopia are as follows:

a) a power of attorney notarised and legalised up to Ethiopian consular level;
b) an assignment of invention notarised and legalised up to Ethiopian consular level;
c) a copy of the specification (including claims, abstract and drawings) in the English language; and
d) a certified copy of the priority application notarised and legalised up to Ethiopian consular level.

According to one source, the deadline for filing the power of attorney, assignment of invention, and priority document is 2 months from the Ethiopian application filing date. However, another source specifies that the power of attorney and assignment of invention are required upon filing. Accordingly, we find it prudent to provide all 3 documents upon filing, if possible.

The patent application is subject to substantive examination which usually takes place within 3 years after all the formal requirements have been satisfied. Substantive examination can be avoided and grant expedited by filing a copy of a patent granted on a corresponding application in another country. In this manner a patent can be granted within a period of less than a year after the application is filed.

The cost of filing a patent application in Ethiopia is currently in the region of between about US$ 2500.00 and US$ 2700.00.

 

 



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