Ethiopia

• Filing Requirements:         

1. Mark and list of goods.

2. Full particulars of the applicant.

3. Specimen of the mark and a printing block (in case the mark is a device).

4. A power of attorney duly legalized up to the Ethiopian Consulate.

5. A certified copy of Home registration. No local attestation is required.

OR,

(b)   Business License (if available) detailing the goods and/or services to be covered by the Application, with verified English translation, legalized by an Ethiopian Consul.

N.B:

The application for registration in Ethiopia and the supporting certified copy of home registration must be for an identical specification of goods and/or services.  (Class headings are not accepted.) All documents must be submitted at the time of filing.

• Time Frame:

The approximate time frame for completing the registration process of a trademark in Ethiopia is from 5 to 7 months.

• Validity:

A trademark registration is valid for seven years from the date of filing the trademark application.

• Notes:

Applications will be substantively examined as to formalities, as well as substantive· grounds. Although Ethiopia is not a member of the Paris Convention, Proclamation no. 501/2006 on Trademark Registration and Protection expressly provides for priority to be claimed, provided the application In Ethiopia is filed within six months from the date of the first-filed foreign application.

Accepted applications will be published for opposition purposes. Until the official Journal appears, applications will be published in local newspapers (as was the case with the former registration regime).

The opposition period is within 60 days from publication of cautionary notice; extendable for additional 60 days if the applicant submits a written application for extension  before expiry of the opposition term upon payment of the official prescribed fees which should be communicated by the Trademarks Office to the applicant company

The expected time frame for a straightforward registration is 5 to 7 months from the filing date.

The Trademark Directorate in Ethiopia will NOT accept documents that have not been legalized up to an Ethiopian Consulate.

• Renewal Requirements:

1. A power of attorney duly legalized up to the Ethiopian Consulate.

2. Copy of the final registration certificate or last renewal certificate.

• Notes:

The validity of the trademark registration is seven years as from the date of deposit of the trademark at the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office. Thereafter, a trademark registration is renewable for further consecutive periods of six years each during the last year of the protection period with a grace period of three months following the expiry date with a penalty. 

Renewal of a trademark registration shall be made within three months after the expiry of the registration period; however, after expiry of first 3 months period the registration may be renewed within the grace period of next six months, by paying in addition to the regular renewal fee, a penalty prescribed by the Regulations

●  Change of Name and/or address requirements:

1. A Power of Aattorney Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the Ethiopian Consulate.

2. A certified copy of the certificate of change of name and/or address Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the Ethiopian Consulate.

● Assignment Recordal Requirements:

1. A Power of Attorney simply signed by the assignee company, sealed with its official stamp, and Duly legalized up to the Ethiopian Consulate.

2. A Deed of assignment executed by the two parties and Duly legalized up to the Ethiopian Consulate.

3. A simple copy of the certificate of incorporation of the assignee.

• Notes:

The change of agent name and address is automatically recorded while providing a POA for the  service in question at no cost.