The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office is to launch the process to re-register trademarks in the coming month it announced. The proclamation that authorizes the office to take this step was endorsed seven years ago.

The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office issued 1500 separate patents and creative rights ownership certificates in the last fiscal year.

The office granted certificates after careful evaluation and all due consideration to ensure the originality of the creation both at home and internationally said Awkoke Shiferaw, Head of Communication Service with the office.

The office also took steps to publicize the ownership claim to public to entertain any counter claims to the creative rights of the creations before issuing final certification said Awkoke.

The office has thus been able to certify 45 owners who managed to fulfill all the criteria established for the issue of creative rights and inventions patents he said.

The office was able to acknowledge 11600 trademarks and issued certificates of sole ownership in the same fiscal year added Awkoke.

223 applicants were also registered under inventive works and medium scale services were also awarded certificates according to Awkoke.

Source: Ethiopian Press Agency