EUIPO Launches AfrIPI to Enhance Trademark Registration and IP Cooperation in Africa

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has launched AfrIPI, its inaugural intellectual property project in partnership with African jurisdictions, aimed at transforming trademark registration and IP protection across the continent. Initiated in February 2020, AfrIPI is designed as a four-year program involving key partners such as the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), the African Intellectual Property Organisation (OAPI), and the African Union Commission, alongside the European Commission and EUIPO itself.

The project’s steering committee convened for the first time on 7 September 2020, where it approved AfrIPI’s general plan and outlined future activities. The primary objective is to enhance the protection and promotion of intellectual property rights in Africa, thereby contributing to national economies, trade, and business development throughout the continent.

AfrIPI also seeks to reinforce cooperation between the European Union and African entities to advance the intellectual property components of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The AfCFTA, which is the world’s largest free trade area since the establishment of the World Trade Organization, encompasses 54 African countries, with Eritrea as the sole non-signatory. Although initially scheduled for implementation on 1 July 2020, the AfCFTA’s launch was postponed to 1 January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A significant aspect of AfrIPI involves extending the reach of existing EUIPO IP tools and databases, such as TMview and DesignView, to third countries. This expansion aims to support the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights beyond the European Union and foster greater collaboration between EU and African IP offices.

The European Union Intellectual Property Network has developed several tools to streamline trademark and design registration workflows. These include TMclass, which enables users to search and translate product and service classifications across 44 languages, and DesignClass, which offers similar functionalities for product indications in 28 languages. These platforms facilitate harmonization of classification systems, easing the registration process for applicants.

Once fully implemented, TMclass and DesignClass will assist European companies seeking to enter African markets by simplifying the submission of trademark and design applications across multiple African jurisdictions. Conversely, African companies aiming to expand into European markets will benefit from harmonized product and service lists aligned with European standards.

A landmark development occurred on 3 August 2020, when the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) became the first African IP office to join the TMclass and DesignClass systems. This integration, resulting from a partnership between URSB and EUIPO, sets a precedent for future collaborations between African IP offices and the EUIPO.

Over the next four years, AfrIPI is expected to generate significant advancements in IP protection and recognition throughout Africa. The project represents a strategic effort to foster economic growth, facilitate trade, and strengthen IP enforcement on the continent, while deepening EU-Africa cooperation in intellectual property matters.

This article was originally published in the World Trademark Review (WTR) and is co-published here to provide comprehensive insight into AfrIPI’s launch and objectives.