Intellectual Property Law in Africa

Caroline B. Ncube is a Professor in the Department of Commercial Law at the University of Cape Town, South Africa and holds a Research Chair in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development, under the South African Research Chairs Initiative, which is funded by the Department of Science and Innovation and the National Research Foundation.

1. Intellectual Property and the Public Interest in Africa

1.1 The Intellectual Property Landscape in Africa

1.2 Overview and History of National IP laws

1.3 IP and the public interest

1.3.1 A global public interest?

1.3.2 A continental, sub-regional and national public interest?

1.4 African states’ diversity and the need for flexible and nuanced IP systems

1.4.1 African states’ contribution to the articulation and formulation of the Development Agenda at WIPO

1.4.2 The Dakar Declaration on IP for Africa

1.4.3 TRIPS implementation by African states: a straight-jacket or nuancing tool?

1.4.4 IP policy focus area: TRIPS Flexibilities

1.4.3.1 Transition periods

1.4.3.2 Definition of invention & other patent grant related flexibilities

1.4.3.3 Parallel imports

1.4.3.4 Compulsory licenses & government use

1.4.3.5 Exceptions

1.4.5 Ongoing work on nuancing African IP systems

1.5 Book overview

Reference List

2. National IP Policy Frameworks in Africa

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Definitions

2.3 The importance of IP policies in Africa

2.4 Factors affecting IP policy design

2.4.1 Public engagement and interest representation

2.4.2 Governmental capacity and co-ordination

2.4.3 Global influences

2.4.4 Technical Assistance

2.4.4.1 Improvement of National, Sub-Regional and Regional IP Institutional and User Capacity

2.4.4.2 WIPO Framework for Developing National IP Strategies for Innovation

2.4.4.1 The Dakar Declaration on IP for Africa

2.5 State profiles: National IP Policies

2.5.1 States with national IP policies

Botswana

Egypt

The Gambia

Ghana

Madagascar

Malawi

Mozambique

Namibia

Nigeria

Rwanda

South Africa

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe

2.5.2 States with IPDPs

Eswatini

Liberia

Mauritius

Sao Tome and Principe

Senegal

Seychelles

2.5.3 States with national IP policies under formulation

2.5.4 Evaluation of National IP Policies and IPDPs

2.6 Conclusion

Reference List

3. Regional Economic Communities, trade and IP

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Regionalism

3.2.1 Regional co-operation

3.2.2 Regional integration

3.2.3 Market Integration

3.2.4 Development integration

3.2.5 Neo-functional integration

3.3 The AU and the AEC

3.4 The relationship between community laws and national laws

3.5 COMESA

3.5.1 IP Regulatory Framework

3.5.2 IP Policy

3.6 EAC

3.6.1 IP Regulatory Framework

3.6.2 IP Policy

3.7 ECOWAS

3.7.1 IP Regulatory Framework

3.7.2 IP Policy

3.8 SADC

3.8.1 Regulatory Instruments

3.8.2 IP Framework and Guidelines

3.9 TFTA

3.10 Conclusion

Reference List

4: Sub-regional IP organisations

4.1 Introduction

4.2 ARIPO

4.2.1 Organs

Council of Ministers

Administrative Council

Secretariat

Board of Appeal

Committees

4.2.2 Regulatory Instruments

The Harare Protocol

Banjul Protocol on Marks

Arusha Protocol

Kampala Protocol

4.3 OAPI

4.3.1 Organs

Administrative Council

High Commission of Appeal

The Office of the Director General

4.3.2 Regulatory Instruments

(a) Substantive requirements

Annex II: Utility Models

Annex III: Trade marks and service marks

Annex IV: Industrial Designs

Annex X: New Varieties of Plant.

4.5 Conclusion

Reference List

5. Key considerations in the development of a continental IP system

5.1 Introduction

5.2 IP Cooperation

5.2.1 ASEAN

5.2.2 APEC

5.2.3 BRICS

5.3 Harmonisation

5.3.1 Methods of harmonisation

5.3.2 Advantages of harmonisation

5.3.3 Disadvantages of harmonisation

5.3.4 Lessons from existing harmonisation efforts

5.3.4.1 EU

5.3.4.2 MERCUSOR

Unification in OHADA

Conclusion

References

6. Continental IP co-operation: PAIPO

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Historical overview of the AU’s efforts to establish PAIPO

6.2.1 Entry into force

6.3 How PAIPO will function

6.3.1 The legal nature of PAIPO

6.3.2 Objectives, principles and functions

6.3.3 Organs of PAIPO

6.3.3.1 The Conference of State Parties

6.3.3.2 The Council of Ministers

6.3.3.3 The Director General and Secretariat

6.3.3.4 The Board of Appeal

6.3.4 Organisational issues (PAIPO, OAPI and ARIPO)

6.3.4.1 Overlapping mandates

6.3.4.2 Relationship between PAIPO, ARIPO & OAPI

6.4 Policy imperatives – the PAIPO statute, development and Human Rights

6.5 Conclusion

7. Intellectual Property in the African Continental Free Trade Area

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Developmental underpinnings of the AfCFTA

7.3 AfCFTA Institutions

7.4 IP in the AfCFTA

7.5 Negotiation and Adoption of the Protocol on IPRs

7.6 Structure, Scope and Content of the Protocol on IPRs

7.6.1 Preamble

7.6.2 Part I: definition, objectives and scope

7.6.3 Part II: principles

7.6.4 Part III: Standards on IPRs

7.6.5 Part IV - VII cooperation on, enforcement, institutional arrangements and final provisions

7.7 Evaluation and Conclusion

References

8. Harmony or Discord? Lessons for the future African continental IP system

8.1 The status quo

8.2 pursuing the public interest

8.3 Continental Instruments and Institutions