USPTO-African Regional IP Organization Agreement

The US Patent and Trademark Office today announced a bilateral agreement with the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), the mainly English-speaking regional IP group in Africa. The agreement is focused on enforcement and protection, along with ease of filing for foreign and African patent applicants, according to a USPTO release. USPTO Director David Kappos was in Geneva for the World Intellectual Property Organization annual assemblies yesterday. The text of the agreement was not readily available.

Full USPTO press release here:

“USPTO and African Regional Intellectual Property Organization Sign Historic Workplan for Bilateral Cooperation

WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) have signed a historic Workplan for Bilateral Cooperation on intellectual property issues. Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property David Kappos and Director General of ARIPO Dr. Gift Huggins Sibanda signed the Workplan in Geneva at the United States Mission to the United Nations on September 24. This Workplan marks the first cooperative agreement between the USPTO and ARIPO and will serve to promote the development of effective intellectual property systems in ARIPO member countries.

“We look forward to working with our new partner to strengthen cooperative efforts and promote innovation,” noted Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property David Kappos. “By working together, our efforts to address common global challenges will meet with success.”

The Workplan will strengthen the bilateral relationship between ARIPO and USPTO; improve the administration of intellectual property protection systems; increase public awareness about the importance of intellectual property issues; and develop professional skills through information sharing and capacity building. As part of this agreement the USPTO plans to train ARIPO patent and trademark examiners to further develop their technical expertise and their capacity to respond to increasing workloads.

ARIPO, an intergovernmental organization comprised of 16 African countries, operates as a central intellectual property filing system. Signing an agreement of this type, with an organization having such a large and significant regional presence, will promote a level intellectual property rights (IPR) playing field for US right holders in the burgeoning African marketplace. It will promote the protection and enforcement of IPR in the global market place by creating a more efficient and consistent application and registration process for US and African right holders.”