Requirements
OAPI (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle) is the African Intellectual Property Organization for French-speaking Africa. With headquarters in Yaoundé, Cameroon, OAPI’s member states are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoro Islands, Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Please note that it is not possible to file in any of the aforementioned member states separately.
Documents Required
1. A simply signed Power of Attorney.
2. Complete specification, claims and abstract x3.
3. Copy(ies) of Priority Assignment(s).
4. If priority is not in the name of the OAPI applicant, translation if not in English or French is required.
5. A certified copy of priority document(s), with translation if not in English or French - not required for PCT.
Additional documentation required for PCT applications:
1. International Publication.
2. International Preliminary Examination Report.
3. International Search Report.
4. Notification of changes recorded at WIPO or other evidence of changes to the PCT applicant.
Additional requirements/information to complete the application
1. The name(s) of the priority applicant(s).
2. The printed characters on the specification and claims must be at least 2mm in height. If the characters are smaller than 2mm, then OAPI will issue an official action requesting the submission of a fresh specification and claims containing larger print.
Please also note that in order to comply with the Regulations, the specification and claims must also have minimum margins of 2.5cm on the left hand side, and 2 cm on the right hand side, top and bottom, and must be typed in one-and-a-half line spacing.
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3. Method of Treatment claims cannot be protected under the OAPI law. Such claims should be either deleted to avoid the payment of the
additional fees due on every claim over the 10th, or reworded “Swiss style”. Please note, however, that at present it is uncertain whether such claims are in fact enforceable.
Notes:
- Novelty is not known in OAPI for utility models.
- All kinds of industrial working instruments and tools are registrable in OAPI.
- Annuities for utility models are payable annually from the application date.