EUIPO Director Meets African IP Representatives at WIPO Assembly in Geneva

During the 2025 WIPO General Assembly in Geneva, the Executive Director of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) João Negrão met with high-level representatives from African intellectual property (IP) offices to discuss continued collaboration and shared strategic priorities. The meeting served as a valuable platform to reflect on recent achievements under the first phase of the African Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation Project (AfrIPI), funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the EUIPO from 2020 to July 2025. This engagement underscores the EUIPO’s growing role as a key international partner in supporting the modernisation of IP ecosystems in Africa, including the integration of African IP offices in international tools such as TMview or Designview, fostering innovation, and promoting inclusive economic development through intellectual property.

Mr. Negrão held a series of bilateral meetings, highlighting key achievements and setting priorities for future cooperation.

African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI)

Discussions with the Director General of OAPI, Mr. Denis Bohoussou, focused on the substantial progress achieved through joint efforts to strengthen intellectual property systems across the region, while setting priorities for continued cooperation. Notable developments included the pilot mentorship programmes with African SMEs,  and OAPI’s integration into EUIPO’s DesignView search tool, a major advancement that enhances access to design registration data for member states and improves transparency in IP management.  The talks also covered technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives aimed at supporting the digitalisation of IP services and reinforcing institutional structures, alongside strategic efforts to promote geographical indications, raise IP awareness and foster a more inclusive and accessible IP system.

African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO)

Discussions with the Director General of ARIPO, Bemanya Twebaze, centred on deepening cooperation in support of regional IP harmonisation and digital transformation. During its implementation, key milestones of AfrIPI included the integration of ARIPO member states into EUIPO’s TMclass and DesignView tools, provision of institutional capacity-building, and promotion of modern examination guidelines aligned with international standards. Emphasis was placed on advancing support for geographical indications (GIs), improving public understanding of IP’s role in innovation and economic growth, while also enhancing the accessibility and inclusiveness of the IP system for women following the IP Conference organised by the EUIPO and ARIPO in Uganda in August 2024 and youth.

Egypt

The bilateral meeting between the EUIPO and Egypt underscored the country’s strong commitment to intellectual property integration and institutional reform. The agenda featured the successful accession of the Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority (EGIPA) to the EUIPO’s DesignView and TMView tools, significantly enhancing access to over 131,500 trademarks and 9,000 industrial designs from EGIPA’s databases. Key achievements of AfrIPI included also the launch of trade mark and design examination guidelines, in collaboration with the EUIPO, as well as notable advancements in the protection and promotion of geographical indications.

Uganda

During this meeting both parties reaffirmed their commitment to a modern, efficient IP system in Uganda. Earlier in 2025, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) completed the e-filing services based on the EUIPO´s online IP filing solution and integrated 79,000 trade marks into the TMview search tool, improving accessibility and transparency. Building on previous successful collaboration, emphasis was placed on intensifying cooperation in inclusiveness initiatives, aimed to improve and strengthen diversity, as well as women’s and new generations´ active participation in the IP ecosystem, leveraging URSB and the EUIPO’s ongoing work in this area.

Zambia

Another successful integration of African countries into EUIPO’s tools and systems that was highlighted during the General Assembly in Geneva was the collaboration with Zambia's Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA). Zambia’s partnership with the EUIPO under AfrIPI led to the launch of a new online IP filing system, operational since 6 May 2025. Developed with EUIPO support, the platform simplifies trade mark applications, boosts accessibility, and aligns Zambia with international IP standards.

Nigeria

A key highlight of this meeting was the follow-up of Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Nigeria Industrial Property Office (NIPO) and the EUIPO in July 2024. This agreement paved the way for digitalising trade mark files, starting the integration of EUIPN tools and cooperate on enforcement, innovation, IP education, inclusiveness and capacity building, strengthening Nigeria’s IP ecosystem.

The discussions held during the WIPO General Assembly reaffirmed the EUIPO’s strong commitment to international cooperation and its strategic partnerships with African regional and national IP offices. Through sustained dialogue and joint initiatives such as TMView and DesignView, the EUIPO continues to support the modernisation and harmonisation of IP systems across the continent, promoting international transparency, IP data accessibility, and economic development through intellectual property. A second phase of the AfrIPI project is planned to launch next year, ensuring the continuity of this impactful collaboration.

The EUIPO also underscored its commitment to fostering knowledge, understanding, and the effective utilisation of the IP system through targeted outreach and inclusive initiatives. This strategic approach, which focuses on empowering women, youth, and indigenous communities, aims to drive inclusive growth and sustainable development. It aligns with the newly launched EUIPO IP Alliances initiative, which African countries are being encouraged to join to benefit from tailored support in leveraging IP systems for regional advancement.