Ghana and OAPI accede to Geneva Act

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has announced that the Republic of Ghana is acceding to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs.

One of the three treaties that govern the Hague System for the international registration of industrial designs, the Geneva Act offers businesses in all participating countries a simple, affordable and efficient way of obtaining and maintaining their industrial designs portfolios.

The Geneva Act will enter into force in respect of Ghana on September 16 2008 - coincidentally the same day on which the Geneva Act comes into force for the African Intellectual Property Organization (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle or OAPI), an intergovernmental organization for cooperation among African states in patent and trademark matters.

The accession of the OAPI to the Geneva Act was announced by WIPO on June 16 2008 through press release PR/2008/554.

This brings to 50 the number of functional jurisdictions within the Hague Agreement, of which 11 are from Africa. According to a further notice from WIPO, September 16 2008 is also the date on which the Madrid Protocol comes into operation in Ghana.

Jeremy Phillips, IP consultant to Olswang, London

Ghana and OAPI accede to Geneva Act

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