Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) IP: Trademarks, Patents, Industrial Designs, Copyright and Domain Names

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (French: République démocratique du Congo), is a country in central Africa with a small length of Atlantic coastline. It is the third largest country (by area) in Africa.

In order to distinguish it from the neighbouring Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is often referred to as DR Congo, DRC, or RDC, or is called Congo-Kinshasa after the capital Kinshasa (in contrast to Congo-Brazzaville for its neighbour).

The name "Congo" refers to the river Congo, also known as the river Zaire. (The river name Congo is related to the name of the Bakongo ethnic group).

General Information

Capital:

Kinshasa

Population:

62 million

Languages:

French

Government Type:

Semi-Presidential Republic

Dialing Code:

+243

Timezone:

GMT +1

Monetary Unit:

Congolese Franc (CDF)

More information:

Democratic Republic of the Congo

International Arrangements

WIPO Convention
Paris Convention (Industrial Property)
Berne Convention (Literary and Artistic Works)
Geneva Convention (Unauthorized Duplication of Phonograms)

Patents

Types of Patents:
-Patents of importation

Filing Requirements:
- Power of Attorney (in French)
- Full particulars of the inventors and of the applicants
- Specification, claims and abstract in French
- Drawings
- Certified copy of granted foreign patent (in French or with certified French translation )

Granting:
The term of a patent is twenty years from the grant date.

Renewals:
Every year (in the date of grant)

Trademarks

Filing Requirements:
- Power of Attorney (in French)
- 2 prints of the trademark
- The full particulars of the applicant
- The list of the goods and/or services to be covered by the trademark and classes.
- Priority document with certified French translation

Granting:
The protection is for ten years, and starts from the date of application

Renewals:
Every ten years

Designs and Models

Filing Requirements:
- Power of Attorney (in French)
- Full particulars of the inventors and of the applicants.
- Graphic representation or a sample of the model
- Assignment of Invention (notarized and legalized)
- Description of the novelty for the industrial model or the industrial design

Granting:
The term of protection is five years from the filing date.

Renewals:
Before the expiration date renewal for more five years is possible

Copyrights

Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works

As a member of the Berne Convention, it is possible to copyright protect creative works in this country, as well as all the other member nations automatically (more than 160 countries), with one single application.

For more information and to submit us your works for worldwide copyright protection, click here.

Domain Names

Domain extension:

.cd

More information

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Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo) IP: Trademarks, Patents, Industrial Designs, Copyright and Domain Names