法律更新

Suriname has amended its Industrial Property Regulations to allow for the registration and statutory protection of trade marks covering services. The changes also modernise filing, publication and fee arrangements. The Act entered into force on 9 October 2026. What has chan...

Tanzania Amends Patents (Registration) Act (Chapter 217) - Patents, Utility Models and Designs. Tanzania has introduced significant amendments to its patent, utility model and design law through the Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, No. 6 of 2026 which took effect from 2 October 202...

As we reported in our earlier update, Jersey’s new trade mark regime came into force on 1 August 2026, alongside the launch of an entirely new IP Registry and bespoke online portal. Nearly three months into the new regime, we answer some ...

Tanzania has moved to close its ARIPO enforceability gap and modernise its trade mark system. In September 2025, Tanzania’s Court of Appeal held that ARIPO trade mark registrations designating mainland Tanzania are not enforceable, because provision for ARIPO trade marks under the Banjul Proto...

The UAE has announced that trade mark applications can now be filed in Nice Class 33 (alcoholic beverages), opening the door to protection for wines, spirits and other alcoholic products for the first time. This is a significant development for brand owners with existing or future interests in...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...