Legal Updates
July 28, 2026
Jersey Confirms Official Trade Mark Fees ahead of New Regime
Following our earlier update on Jersey's new trade marks regime, the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) has now published the final trade mark fees that will apply when the new system comes int...
July 14, 2026
Kenya Intellectual Property Authority Bill: A Unified Future for Kenya's IP Landscape
The Kenya Intellectual Property Authority Bill, 2026, now tabled before the National Assembly, proposes to merge the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO), and the Anti‑Counterfeit Authority (ACA) into a single, modern regulator: the Kenya Intellectual Propert...
July 1, 2026
Copyright Amendment Bill: Constitutional Court Clarifies the Future of South Africa’s Copyright Reform
The Constitutional Court, on 26 June 2026, issued a landmark judgment on the Copyright Amendment Bill (CAB) and the Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill (PPAB). This follows the President Cyril Ramaphosa’s referral of both Bills to the Court, wherein he raised reservations about their constituti...
June 23, 2026
Tanzania Trade Mark Recordation Programme Fully Operational: FCC Confirms Acceptance of ARIPO and Foreign Registrations
The Fair Competition Commission (FCC) of Tanzania has confirmed that the country's mandatory trade mark recordation programme is now fully operational. This development is significant for brand owners seeking to strengthen customs enforcement, prevent counterfeit imports and protect trade mark r...
June 9, 2026
ARIPO: Cape Verde available for designation for new plant varieties under the Arusha Protocol
The Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants came into force on 24 November 2024. The ARIPO Member States that have ratified the Protocol are Cape Verde, Ghana, Rwanda, and São Tomé e Príncipe.
With the new Cape Verde Industrial Property Code having entered into force on...
June 5, 2026
Cape Verde: Introduction of a New Industrial Property Code
Cape Verde's Industrial Property Code entered into force on 2 June 2026, a significant modernisation of IP protection in the jurisdiction.
Cape Verde has introduced a comprehensive overhaul of its intellectual property framework through Legislative Decree No. 2/2025, published in the ...
May 27, 2026
The Bahamas joins the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
The Commonwealth of the Bahamas acceded to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) on 19 May 2026.
The PCT will enter into force for the Bahamas on 19 August 2026. Consequently, any international application filed on or after 19 August 2026 will automatically include the designation of the Bahamas...
April 30, 2026
Jersey Introduces a New Trade Marks Regime from 1 August 2026
Jersey will implement a completely new trade marks system on 1 August 2026, replacing the current UK-based registration framework with an independent local registration regime. The changes introduce examination, publication and opposition procedures, multi-class filing, Nice Classification and a ...
March 25, 2026
ARIPO Joins the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH)
The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) has joined the Global Patent Prosecution Highway pilot (GPPH) programme, effective 6 January 2026.
ARIPO now provides three options for Expedited/Accelerated Examination:
Request for accelerated examination under the ...
March 5, 2026
Sierra Leone: Trade Mark Regulations 2024 - Now Implemented
Published as Statutory Instrument No. 19 of 2024, Sierra Leone's Trade Mark Regulations 2024 have now been implemented by the local Registry as from early January 2026.
The Regulations introduce some long overdue guidance as to the processing of trade mark applications, oppositions, renewals a...
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