As Africa's role in the global economy continues to grow, the protection of intellectual property (IP) rights is of paramount importance. To address pressing IP enforcement issues across the continent, the Africa IP SME Helpdesk will be organising a series of webinars over the coming months: ‘Navigating IP enforcement challenges in Africa’.
The webinar series is primarily aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the European Union and beyond that are operating or planning to internationalise their business in Africa and need to protect their intellectual property assets. It is therefore an excellent opportunity to delve into the complexities of IP enforcement in Africa and gain practical insights from experts in the field.
Each webinar will last approximately one hour and will be completely free of charge, but places are limited.
Webinar 1: Trade mark protection enforcement in Africa – the case of ARIPO countries
The first webinar will discuss the enforceability of trade marks in Africa, with a particular focus on the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO). ARIPO is an intergovernmental organisation established to promote and facilitate the protection of IP rights in the various African countries.
Geographical scope: Botswana, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
IP enforcement experts will explain the main opportunities and challenges for EU SMEs seeking to protect their IP assets in one or more of the above-mentioned ARIPO countries. They will introduce ARIPO and its role, typical IP enforcement issues, and engage in lively discussions with participants. At the same time, they will present real case studies of European companies that have experienced IP enforcement in the region.
During this webinar, participants will also hear from representatives of the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights about the real risks of counterfeiting for SMEs, based on the results of recently published studies and the SME scoreboard.
Webinar 2: Counterfeit goods and e-commerce sites in Nigeria and South Africa
Nigeria and South Africa have experienced a rapid increase in internet penetration and digitalization. While this presents many opportunities for growth, it also creates a conducive environment for online IP infringement. Therefore, this second webinar will address the critical issue of counterfeit goods and their proliferation on e-commerce platforms in two of Africa's largest markets, Nigeria and South Africa.
IP experts will address some of the common issues in these two countries and highlight the key differences in order to advise companies on how to prevent and deal with similar situations. Real-life case studies will be presented so that participants can learn from past experiences and make informed decisions when investing in e-commerce in Nigeria or South Africa.
Geographical scope: Nigeria and South Africa
Webinar 3: A Guide to customs recordals in West Africa (OAPI)
The final webinar provides a comprehensive guide to customs records in West Africa, specifically within the context of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI - Organisation Africaine de la Propriété intellectuelle). OAPI is a regional intergovernmental organisation in Africa specialising in IP matters. OAPI's primary objective is to harmonise and streamline IP regulations and procedures among its member states in West and Central Africa.
Geographical scope: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo.
By attending this webinar, participants will gain an understanding of OAPI and its role, the importance of customs records, challenges and best practices, as well as real-life examples and success stories that will help them understand the key challenges and opportunities.
Details
- Publication date
- 28 September 2023
- Author
- European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency