Libya Trademark Renewal Fee Amendments
Pursuant to Economy and Commerce Ministerial Resolution No. 586 of 2024, effective November 27, 2024, and confirmed in a meeting with Ministry officials on February 3, 2025, the annual trademark renewal official fee for foreign trademark owners has been set at USD 2,000 per year. Trademark owners have the option to pay this fee annually or in a lump sum of USD 20,000 for the full ten-year renewal period. If paid in installments, the first payment is due upon renewal, with subsequent installments due annually thereafter.
The renewal period remains ten years and the fees are the same, irrespective of whether the renewal application is filed within the last year of protection period or within six months grace period from expiry of protection period for late renewal. It is worthy to note that the renewal action will be published on the electronic publication system of the TM office and thereafter renewal certificate will be issued.
Meanwhile, discussions regarding the implementation of these changes are still ongoing with ministry officials. Further updates will be provided as they become available.
Securing your Brand in South Sudan: What you Need to Know about Protecting your Brand in South Sudan
The Republic of South Sudan, founded in 2011, is currently engaged in the development and enactment of its legal framework. In the realm of Intellectual Property, the Trademarks Bill of 2013 (“the Bill”) is presently under consideration by the Parliament. This Bill, upon enactment, will establish the procedures for the filing, prosecution, and registration of trademarks.
Pending the enactment of “the Bill”, the Ministry of Justice in South Sudan commenced accepting trademark applications in 2014, operating under the Sudanese Trade Mark Law No. 8 of 1969 (“the Sudanese Act”). This practice was subsequently suspended by the Deputy Registrar of the Ministry until 2023, when the Ministry permitted MTN Group (mobile telecommunication company) to reserve a trademark. Currently, the Ministry of Justice is accepting applications for trademark reservations in South Sudan. Given the absence of enacted legislation, the Ministry has not established formal requirements for reservation applications. However, the Ministry retains the discretion to permit brand owners, on a case-by-case basis, to submit applications for trademark reservation.
The reservation of a trademark results in the recordation of the mark’s details in the registry database. Upon the enactment of the Bill, this reservation will preclude third parties from filing and registering similar or identical trademarks. Reserved marks will become eligible for registration in South Sudan once the Bill is passed into law, unless the Ministry of Justice issues directives accepting trademark applications prior to the Bill’s enactment. It is imperative to note that reserved marks must be formally re-filed once the Bill becomes law, and the filing date of the reservation application will not constitute a priority date for the subsequent trademark application.
The trademark reservation process represents a positive step, affording a degree of legal protection to proprietors seeking to safeguard their trademarks in South Sudan pending the enactment of the Bill. Meanwhile, all trademarks obtained prior to South Sudan’s founding are considered invalid. Furthermore, all trademark applications and registrations filed or obtained in South Sudan under the Sudanese Act have been suspended, awaiting the passage of the Bill into law.
Navigating the trademark reservation process in South Sudan can be challenging. JAH Intellectual Property is all time ready to assist you every step of the way, ensuring your trademarks are protected in anticipation of the new law. Contact us at info@jahcoip.com for more information.