The Zanzibar Industrial Journal is the Official Journal of industrial property for the Zanzibar Industrial Property Office. It is published in English, on the 1st of every month by the Registrar of Industrial Property Office. The journal incorporates the Patent, Marks, Utility models, Design, and Geographical Indications.

Patent Publication.

There are two circumstances in which the law requires the patent to be published in the Journal.

1. Opening Patent for Public Inspection.

The law requires the registrar to open the patent application for public inspection immediately after eighteenmonths from the filing date. The public are invited to inspect the patent application by way of public notice given by means of the publication in the Journal containing the following elements:

• the number and the filing date of the application;

• the title of the invention;

• the name of the applicant(s) and of the inventor(s);

• the priority date(s);

• the International Classification;

• one drawing, if any, that depicts the main element(s) of the invention;

• the abstract.

2. On Grant of Patent

If the Registrar grants a patent shall publish a reference to the grant of the patent in the Journal. The Publication will include: -

• The number of the Patent

• The name and address of the owner of the patent;

• The name and address of the inventor, except where the inventor has asked not to be named in the patent;

• The name and address of the agent if any;

• The filing date;

• Priority date and the name of the county or countries in which or for which the eelier application was filed

• The effective date of grant of the patent;

• The title of the invention;

• The abstract

• The most illustrative of the drawing if any; and

• The symbol of the International Patent Classification.

Trademark Publication

When the Registrar has accepted an application for the registration of a mark or of a series of marks absolutely or has accepted it subject to conditions or limitations to which the applicant does not object, the mark will be published in the Industrial Property Journal. Any person who has ground of opposition to registration of trademarks, within two months from the date of publication hereof, may file a notice of opposition with the Registrar of Trademarks, BPRA. On expiry of the said two months, the Registrar shall allow the applications to proceed to registration, upon payment of relevant fee.

Utility Models Publication

If the Registrar grants a utility model shall publish a reference to the grant of the Utility mode in the Journal.

Industrial Design Publication

The publication is done; -

1. Upon compliance with the Requirement of law

After according a filing date, the Registrar shall examine whether the application complies with the requirements of the law and regulations. If meet the requirements, he shall publish in the Journal a notice that he is ready to register the industrial design, publish a reference to the registration and issue to the applicant a certificate of registration of the industrial design; otherwise, he shall refuse the application. Within ninety days from the publication of the notice the applicant shall pay the prescribed fee,

2. Reference to the Registration

Upon registration of Industrial design, the Registrar will publish reference to the registration of the design in the Industrial Property Journal. The publication will include information like the number of the industrial design; the name and address of the registered owner; the name and address of the agent if any; the name and address of the creator, except where he has asked not to be named in the registration; priority date and the country or countries in which of for which the earlier application was filed and the kind of products for which the industrial design is to be used.

Geographical Indication Publication

Where the Registrar finds that the application complies with the requirements, he shall cause the application, as accepted, to be published in the prescribed manner. Any interested person or competent authority may, within 60 days give notice to the Registrar of opposition to the registration of the geographical indication on the grounds that one or more of the requirements of prescribed by the laws are not fulfilled.

The notice of Oppostion will be published in the Journal and, within the period of ninety days and in the prescribed manner, the applicant shall send to the Registrar a counter-statement of the grounds on which he relies for his application; if he does not do so, he shall be deemed to have abandoned the application

If you need more information/assistance on Patents, Trade and Service Marks, Utility Models; Industrial designs and Geographical indication matters in Zanzibar, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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