What is AfrIPI?
AfrIPI is an international cooperation project funded and directed by the European Union, co-funded and implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). It has an initial duration of 4 years starting from February 2020.
The overall objective of AfrIPI is to facilitate intra-African trade and African and European investment. It specifically aims to create, protect, utilise, administer and enforce Intellectual Property Rights across Africa, in line with international and European best practices and in support of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the African Union´s Agenda 2063.
The launch of the AfCFTA is a major step towards regional integration within the African continent and its objectives include the creation of a liberalized market for goods and services, and the facilitation of trade and investment.
In this context, the AfrIPI project, funded under the Pan-African Program, aims to boost the continental economic integration through strengthening and improving the systems for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) creation, protection, utilization, administration and enforcement.
AfrIPI will actively involve and address all relevant African stakeholders according to their respective mandate, capacities and interests.
In addition, the project is in constant consultation with other key stakeholders in the region such as:
- Commission services dealing to some extent with IP in Africa, which could include for example EU Delegations, DG International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO), DG TRADE, DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), DG Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), DG Communication Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), DG Competition (DG COMP), DG Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD), or DG Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE).
- Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN–SAD), East African Community (EAC), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Southern African Development Community (SADC)
- International organization stakeholders active in IP: WIPO, EPO, WTO, FAO, UNCTAD, UNECA
- Third country authorities and agencies in the field of IP, as well as diplomatic representations in Africa
- Ministries and agencies related to IP protection and enforcement in Africa
- The academic community in Europe and Africa (higher education and research institutions active in the field of IP)
- EU and Africa industry, business associations and chambers of commerce
