situation of gis protection in africa and relevance of a continental approach
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This document discusses the need for a continental strategy for geographical indications (GIs) in Africa. It analyzes the current situation of GI protection across Africa, finding inconsistent legal frameworks, procedures, and enforcement. There are conflicts between the two main regional intellectual property organizations, OAPI and ARIPO, and a lack of convergence across countries. This allows fraud involving African GIs on regional and international markets. Additionally, Africa is not fully capitalizing on international conventions. To address these issues, the document calls for a common African GI policy to standardize protection, interpretation and enforcement, and combat fraud. This will help protect important African names and economies better.
situation of gis protection in africa and relevance of a continental approach
- 1. DEVELOPMENT OF GIS IN THE AFRICAN UNION: A CONTINENTAL STRATEGY AND AN ACTION PLAN VALIDATION WORKSHOP 22-25 November 2016 Nairobi, Kenya
- 2. Situation of GI protection in Africa and relevance of a continental approach I. Statements II. Diagnosis Monique Bagal Consultant in Geographical indications 22/11/2016
- 3. Statements Existing legal options 22/11/2016 No legal framework for GIs Incomplete framework for GIs Complete framework for GIs Completion in progress - 1 unfair competition only - 3 Trademark only - 50 trademark and sui generis Non exclusive options of protection
- 4. OAPI 22/11/2016 Statements Existing legal systems Bangui Agreement, as revised in 1999 - 17 Countries - Article 32 to 36, collective trademarks (10 years) - Recent adherence to the Madrid Protocol on international registration of TDK - Annex VI Geographical indications - 3 registered Gis Ongoing revision of the Bangui Agreeement 2015
- 5. Statements Existing legal systems ARIPO -19 countries -12 observers -10 members of Banjul protocol Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi,Namibia,Liberia, S達o Tom辿 and Pr鱈ncipe, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Trademark protection (Coll. Cert. TDK undefined) - GI protocol adopted 22/11/2016
- 6. 22/11/2016 Offices 53 national offices on IP 2 regional offices Committees 8/9 Committees on GI in OAPI region ? Other specific committees Registers National One regional register in OAPI (the BOPI) On line services on ARIPO website Statements Existing institutional capacities
- 7. Statements Membership to international organisations International conventions 54 Paris convention 52 TRIPS 6 Lisbon Agreement 0 Geneva Act Regional Free-trade organizations 22/11/2016 55 AU Countries 3 Arab Magrheb Union East African Community 8 Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) 11 Economic Commnity of Central African States (ECCA) 15 Economic Community of Western African States (ECOWAS) 15 South African Development Community (SADC) 19 Common Market for Eastern and southern Africa (COMESA) 28 Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)
- 8. Diagnosis Confict of laws 22/11/2016 Different scope of protection from one state to another Against 束 unfair competition 損 or against direct or indirect use Different possibilities AO+GI / GI Private vs Public management Sui generis or trademark Certification trademark vs collective trademark
- 9. Diagnosis Conflict of procedures UPSTREAM Access to information Procedures of registration (code of conduct) Procedures of examination (formal, substantial/natural person, legal person) Fees (more or less expensive/ trademark, GI) Opposition procedures (more or less months) DOWNSTREAM Access to registers Access to justice (which court is competent?) Access to regional justice (interpretation exclusively national) Means for repression of fraud (no procedures for Gis, no continental list) 22/11/2016
- 11. ARIPO OAPI 22/11/2016 Diagnosis Absence of convergence of systems 18 Countries excluded Issues with reciprocity Conflits of laws Conflict of procedures Conflict of intepretation No room for cooperation
- 12. Diagnosis 22/11 /2016 Persistance of fraud On the regional market Toiles de Fakaha, fabriqu辿es au S辿n辿gal Violet de Damani
- 13. Diagnosis Non-capitalization on alternative conventions 22/11/2016 International protection and registration of appellations of origin in 28 Lisbon agreement International protection of trademarks in 98 countries Madrid agreement Reciprocal protection of names between EU and African countries EPA International protection of GIs and AOGeneva Act
- 14. 27/05 /2016 Masque Baoul辿 authentique Masque baoul辿 made in Indonesia Diagnosis Non-capitalization on alternative conventions Persistance of fraud on the international market
- 15. Diagnosis Non-capitalization on Regional Economic Communities 22/11/2016 Policy? Repression of fraud? Financing? Justice?
- 16. CONCLUSION Need for a common policy on GIs in Africa (options of protection, interpretation, enforcement, repression) Need for a framework that would address specific African needs (i.e transnational GIs) Need for a framework that shall be integrative of other realities (food security, environmental sustainability, etc.) Increasing need to efficiently protect African names Increasing pressure on institutional capacities due to membership in international organizations 22/11/2016 CONTINENTAL STRATEGY FOR GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS IN AFRICA