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OAPI trademark examiners build capability on substantive examination procedures on intellectual property

17 May 2024
OAPI trademark examiners

In an effort to foster cooperation and harmonisation in the field of intellectual property (IP), five trade mark examiners from the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) participated in a four-day workshop on trademarks with European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) examiners.

The activity, ‘Support to the OAPI capacity building programme for trade mark and design examiners at the EUIPO on substantive examination issues’, took place from 13 to 16 May 2024 at the EUIPO premises in Alicante, Spain, and was presided over by Elisa Zaera Cuadrado, Head of Service, GIs and other IP rights, Operations Department and Ignacio De Medrano Caballero, Head of Service, International Cooperation Service.

The visit focused on knowledge sharing and the examination of OAPI and EUIPO practices in relation to trademarks; with the intention to provide the examiners with a comprehensive understanding of the EUIPO processes on trade mark examination procedures and practices.

Participants had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge in several areas, including:

  • Trademark examination guidelines - the experience of OAPI and EUIPO examiners,

  • Digital technologies and the metaverse in the classification of goods or services and examination,

  • The classification of figurative elements, identification and implementation of the changes made by the Nice Classification 12th edition version 2024,

  • Assessing the similarity of signs in the context of relative grounds for refusal of registration,

  • Substantive examination practices: Division of the application, transfer, and tools,

  • Assessing the distinctive character of all types of trademarks, including non-traditional trade marks.

This event follows the OAPI industrial design examiners visit to the EUIPO to strengthen capacity in regional IP systems from 22 to 26 April 2024. It served to build the capacity of OAPI trademark examiners and management staff on the new principles of substantive examination adopted by OAPI since January 2022.