ETHIOPIA
Ethiopian trademark registration The “Ethiopian Trade Mark Protection Proclamation no. 501/2006” serves as the foundation for Ethiopian trademark law. Registration is the path to complete trademark protection. Even if a trademark is not technically registered with the IP office, it may still be protected if it enjoys widespread public recognition. Ethiopia accepts the 45 goods and services that make up the global “NICE” classification. Note: The Madrid System does not include Ethiopia. Consequently, it is not possible to submit an international application through WIPO
Requirements
A local agent must submit a trademark application to the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office. It is required to have a formal Power of Attorney that has been notarized and verified by the Ethiopian Consular. Foreign applicants must formally register domestically. Applications for multi-class trademarks are accepted.
Procedure
A formal assessment, a distinctiveness examination, and a trademark search are all part of the application procedure. Before filing an Ethiopian trademark application, the Ethiopian authority strongly advises conducting a trademark search for previous trademarks. The mark will be published in the Intellectual Property Gazette or, depending on the authority request, an official newspaper for a period of 30 days if the application passes all examinations and satisfies any additional conditions in office operations. A third party may object to the published Ethiopian trademark application during this time, which is known as the opposition period. The time it takes to register a straightforward lawsuit is roughly six to eight months after the initial filing.
Duration
In Ethiopia, a trademark registration is good for seven years after it is filed. For intervals of seven years, the registration is renewed.
Ethiopian trademark registration The “Ethiopian Trade Mark Protection Proclamation no. 501/2006” serves as the foundation for Ethiopian trademark law. Registration is the path to complete trademark protection. Even if a trademark is not technically registered with the IP office, it may still be protected if it enjoys widespread public recognition. Ethiopia accepts the 45 goods and services that make up the global “NICE” classification. Note: The Madrid System does not include Ethiopia. Consequently, it is not possible to submit an international application through WIPO
Requirements
A local agent must submit a trademark application to the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office. It is required to have a formal Power of Attorney that has been notarized and verified by the Ethiopian Consular. Foreign applicants must formally register domestically. Applications for multi-class trademarks are accepted.
Procedure
A formal assessment, a distinctiveness examination, and a trademark search are all part of the application procedure. Before filing an Ethiopian trademark application, the Ethiopian authority strongly advises conducting a trademark search for previous trademarks. The mark will be published in the Intellectual Property Gazette or, depending on the authority request, an official newspaper for a period of 30 days if the application passes all examinations and satisfies any additional conditions in office operations. A third party may object to the published Ethiopian trademark application during this time, which is known as the opposition period. The time it takes to register a straightforward lawsuit is roughly six to eight months after the initial filing.
Duration
In Ethiopia, a trademark registration is good for seven years after it is filed. For intervals of seven years, the registration is renewed.
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