Tunisia

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

CLASSIFICATION

11th edition – multiclass application

SEARCH

Possible for word and device marks

EXAMINATION

On formal and absolute grounds

OPPOSITION

60 days from publication date

PROTECTION TERM

10 years from filing date and renewable for like periods

USE

Vulnerable to cancellation if mark has not been used for 5 consecutive years from registration date

EXTENSION OF TIME

Not possible for filing oppositions, counter oppositions, and responding to office actions

TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS

World Intellectual Property Organization, World Trade Organization, Berne Convention, Madrid Agreement (Source), Nairobi Treaty, Paris Convention, Budapest Treaty, Hague Agreement, Lisbon Agreement, Madrid Protocol, Patent Cooperation Treaty, Nice Agreement, Vienna Agreement, The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants


REGISTRATION

Filing Requirements

  • Copy of priority document, if priority is claimed, certified

What you need to know

  • POA must be submitted within 30 days from filing date
  • Priority document may be submitted within 3 months from filing date

RENEWAL

Filing Requirements

  • No additional documents are required

What you need to know

  • No grace period

CHANGE OF NAME OR ADDRESS

Filing Requirements

  • Certificate of the change of name or an extract from the commercial register, with simple French translation
  • For change of address, no additional documents are required other than the POA

What you need to know

  • May be recorded for applications and registrations

ASSIGNMENT

  • Trademarks may be assigned with or without the goodwill of the business concerned
  • May be recorded for applications and registrations

MERGER

Filing Requirements

  • Certificate of merger, legalized with simple French translation

What you need to know

  • May be recorded for applications and registrations

LICENSE

Filing Requirements

  • License agreement, with simple French translation

What you need to know

  • License recordal is not compulsory but advisable in order to be effective against third parties
  • May be recorded for applications and registrations
  • Separate POAs required from licensee and licensor

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

EQUIVALENT SEARCH

May be searched by title and patentee name

EXAMINATION

As to form

PUBLICATION

Patents are published in the Industrial Property Bulletin upon allowance

OPPOSITION

2 months from publication date

ANNUITIES

Due annually on the anniversary of the international filing date and payable prior to grant. Grace period of 6 months for late payment with a surcharge

PROTECTION TERM

20 years from the international filing date


REGISTRATION

Filing Requirements

  • Copy of PCT request
  • Copy of international publication
  • Copy of international search report
  • Copy of international preliminary examination report (if available)
  • 3 copies of the specifications in English, French or Arabic
  • 3 sets of formal drawings

What you need to know

  • POA must be submitted within one month from filing date

CHANGE OF NAME OR ADDRESS

Filing Requirements

  • Certificate of change of name/address, simply signed

ASSIGNMENT

Filing Requirements

  • Deed of assignment, simply signed

What you need to know

  • POA may be submitted by assignee or assignor

MERGER

Filing Requirements

  • Certificate of merger, simply signed

LICENSE

Filing Requirements

  • License agreement, simply signed

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

PROTECTION TERM

Options include 5, 10 or 15 years from filing date

EXAMINATION

As to form only

APPLICATION WITH MULTIPLE FIGURES

Admissible

RENEWAL

Allowed for two consecutive periods of 5 years each, where the initial duration was 5 years, and for a further period of 5 years where the initial duration was 10 years

LOCARNO CLASSIFICATION

No

OPPOSITION

No provisions


REGISTRATION

Filing Requirements

  • POA, legalized
  • 4 representations of the design
  • 3 short descriptions of the design in English or French
  • Copy of priority document, if priority is claimed, certified

What you need to know

  • Representations of the design and the short descriptions of the design must be submitted at the time of filing
  • POA may be submitted within 30 days of filing date
  • Priority document may be submitted within 3 months of filing date

Saba House, Saïd Freiha Street, Hazmieh, Beirut, Lebanon

P.O. Box 11-9421

view map

+961 5 45 48 88
+961 5 45 48 44
tunisia@sabaip.com

Office Hours
Monday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.