The Law of Intellectual Property: International IP

African intellectual property agreement. African Intellectual Property Organization Agreement. Agreement relating to the creation of an African Intellectual Property Organization. Created by the Agreement of Bangui of 2 Mar 1977. The original Bangui agreement was replaced by a revised Convention of Bangui 24 February 1999, conforming to the TRIPS± requirement of the World Trade Organization. The annexes to the revised Bangui Agreement contain uniform laws governing all aspects of intellectual property in the African Member States, these should serve as new national laws with implementation required by membership in the African Intellectual Property Organization. Annex I (patents), Annex II (utility models), Annex III (trade marks and service marks), Annex IV (industrial designs), Annex V (trade names), Annex VI (indications of geographical origin), Annex VII (literary and artistic property), Annex VIII (protection against unfair competition), Annex IX (layout designs (topographies) of integrated circuits), Annex X (plant variety protection). The Member States also accede to the Berne copyright convention± (1971 revision); Budapest microorganisms treaty;± Paris industrial property convention± (Stockholm revision); Patent cooperation treaty;± Phonogram Convention± (Rome), Universal copyright convention;± Vienna union;± WIPO convention.± French and English versions of the revised Bangui Agreement can most easily be found on the Organization’s WIPO website at http://www.oapi.wipo.net/. English text on the website of the African Intellectual Property Organization at http://www.oapi.wipo.net/doc/en/bangui_agreement.pdf. Official French text at http://www.droit-afrique.com/.‡

In Russian.

In Russian.

ASEAN framework agreement on intellectual property cooperation and Framework agreement on services. Bangkok, 15 Dec 1995. Reprinted in 35 International legal materials 1,072 (1996).

Benelux intellectual property convention. Benelux convention on intellectual property. The Hague, 25 Feb 2005. In force 1 Sep 2006. Full text with explanatory notes at http://www.boip.int/. French text, with rules, at http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/.‡ This is an entirely new convention governing designs and trademarks. Consolidates, replaces and repeals the Benelux designs convention of 1962. The 2005 rules conform to European Community directives and practices. Establishes the Benelux Intellectual Property Organization.

Berne copyright convention. Berne convention for the protection of literary and artistic works. Bern, 9 Sep 1886. 168 Consolidated treaty series 185, International treaties on intellectual property 2.ed. and Design and copyright protection of products: world law and practice. All current revisions in Copyright laws and treaties of the world and International regulation of trade in services. Text at http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/.‡ This convention has been revised five times since its completion. The current operative revision, Paris, 24 Jul 1971 (in force 10 Oct 1974), last amended 28 Sep 1979, has not necessarily been ratified by states bound by earlier revisions; accessions have been made at different dates; the varying forms of the treaty.

Copyright and Related Rights (Neighboring Rights), Domain Names, Enforcement of IP and Related Laws, Genetic Resources, Geographical Indications, Industrial Designs, Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits, Patents (Inventions), Plant Variety Protection, Trade Names, Trademarks, Traditional Cultural Expressions, Traditional Knowledge (TK), Transfer of Technology, Undisclosed Information (Trade Secrets), Utility Models

AGIP is the website of Abu- Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP). This is a valuable and informative database leading the user to English translations of intellectual property legislation of more than 20 North African and Middle Eastern jurisdictions. It can be preferable to WIPO Lex. Since Arabic is one of the working languages of WIPO, often the Arabic text of a law is the only one provided online. The Abu Ghazeleh firm makes every effort to provide an English translation of all legislation. The aim is translation of full text, but failing that, there will be a summary of the law in question, or at least a listing of requirements, etc. Once into the database, the user can click on the country desired, for copyright, designs, domain names, patents, or trademarks.

UPOV Lex contains the legislation of members of the Union that has been notified in accordance with the UPOV Convention, the UPOV Convention notifications concerning individual members of the Union (e.g. accessions, ratifications) and the text of the UPOV Convention and its Acts.

It continues, but does not replace, Copyright and neighboring rights, laws and treaties* and Industrial property laws and treaties of the world.* This is a comprehensive and current database containing laws and regulations enacted after 2000. Please note that while some material can be accessed directly, it is frequently the case that full text or English translation can only be reached through the entry “bibliographic record.” Occasionally full text is not (yet) available. This database was compiled in 2000 as an electronic continuation of the print service (not discontinued) and it does not necessarily replicate anything already in the print services.

*Copyright and neighboring rights, laws and treaties. Geneva, WIPO, 1987– (looseleaf). Commencing in 1987, national legislation originally contained in Copyright, monthly review of the World Intellectual Property Organization was issued as separately paged looseleaf insertions to be maintained in distinctively titled binders.

Industrial property laws and treaties of the world. Geneva, World Intellectual Property Organization, 1976– (looseleaf).

WIPO has introduced a combined Intellectual property laws and treaties CD-ROM as IPLEX-CD-ROM, multilingual English and French, issued quarterly since 2000. It contains material in Copyright and neighboring rights laws and treaties and Industrial property laws and treaties of the world. WIPO replaced and continued the print version with its online database, WIPO Lex.