Sudan IP: Trademarks, Patents, Industrial Designs, Copyright and Domain Names

Sudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest in the African continent and the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area. The people of Sudan have a long history extending from antiquity, which is intertwined with the history of Egypt.

Sudan is currently ranked as the second most unstable country in the world according to the Failed States Index, for its military dictatorship and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Darfur. However, despite its internal conflicts, Sudan has managed to achieve economic growth.

General Information

Capital:

Khartoum

Population:

40 Million

Languages:

Arabic

Languages:

English

Government Type:

Republic

Dialing Code:

+249

Timezone:

GMT +3

Monetary Unit:

Sudanese pound (SDG)

More information:

Sudan

International Arrangements

WIPO Convention
Paris Convention (Industrial Property)
Berne Convention (Literary and Artistic Works)
PCT (Patents)
PLT (Patent Law Treaty)
Madrid Agreement (International Registration of Marks)
WTO: Observer.
Member of ARIPO

Patents

Patent protection is obtainable via a national filing. Sudan is a member of the International Convention, PCT and of ARIPO.

Patentable Subject Matter:
Any invention which is new, involves an inventive step and is capable of industrial application is patentable. Any invention constituting an improvement upon a patented invention is patentable if it is new, involves an inventive step, and is capable of industrial application. However, patents will not be granted for principles and discoveries of a scientific nature, or for inventions the publication or exploitation of which would be contrary to public order or morality.

Filing Requirements:
- A Power of Attorney duly notarized by a Notary Public.
- An Extract from the Commercial Register or from the Memorandum of Association, if the applicant is a company or body corporate, duly legalized up to the Sudanese Consulate.
- An Assignment Deed duly legalized up to the Sudanese Consulate, if the applicant is not the inventor.
- Two copies of specifications, claims, abstract and drawings, if any.
- A copy of the PCT application as published with the Search Report and Preliminary Examination Report, in case of entering a National Phase under the PCT Scheme.

Novelty:
An invention is new if it has not been disclosed to the public anywhere and at any time whatsoever, by means of a written or oral disclosure, by use, or in any other way, before the date of filing of the patent application or the priority date. A grace period of six months preceding the filing date or the priority date is provided for exhibition by the inventor or his successor in title at an official or officially recognized international exhibition.

Examination:
Examination is restricted to form and to unity of invention only.

Working:
Working of patents is an official requirement. If the owner of a patented invention does not satisfy the Working requirements within four years from the date of filing or three years from the date of grant, the patent will be subject to compulsory licensing.

Licences/Assignments:
Licences and Assignments must be recorded to be effective against third parties.

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

Renewals:
Annuities have to be paid at the anniversary of the application

Trademarks

Filing requirements:
- A Power of Attorney duly notarized by a Notary Public.
- A certified copy of the Extract from the Commercial Register or Articles of Incorporation or any equivalent document duly legalized up to the Sudanese Consulate.
- Twenty prints of the mark.
- A certified copy of home or foreign application.

Classification:
-International classification of goods and services. No application may be made for alcoholic products.

MULTICLASSES:
-A separate application is required for each class.

Licensing/Registered Users:
Licensing is recognised. Recordation of the license agreement is required to be legally binding.
The license agreement must provide for quality control by the licensor.

Requirements
- License agreement;
- Power of attorney from the proprietor;
- Power of attorney from the licensee.

Assignments:
-Assignments are possible and may be made with or without goodwill of the business

Requirements:
- Deed of assignment;
- If applicant is a company, an extract from the commercial register or a copy of the certificate of incorporation, legalised up to Sudanese consular level;
- Power of attorney from the assignee.

Marking of Goods:
Notice of registration by use of the legend ‘Registered Trade Mark’ or suitable abbreviation (eg. ‘Regd. Tm.’) or symbol ® optional.
Follow importer’s instructions or specific contract specifications. Articles of gold must be hallmarked. Most cotton piece goods are to be folded in exact metre lengths. Each piece must be visibly marked on the exterior to indicate the exact number of metres contained in the piece. The markings must be stamped into the material, printed on it or be shown by tickets affixed to the piece. Certain cotton goods for retail sale must be labelled to show length or weight (in metres or kilograms).

Opposition
Any person may, within six months from the date of advertisement for Sudanese residents and eight months for foreigners, file a notice of opposition.
Extension of the opposition period is not possible.

Use:
Registration may be cancelled on the ground of non-use over a period of five years.

Granting:
The protection is ten years

Renewals:
Always renewable for periods of ten years

Designs and Models

Filing requirements:
-A Power of Attorney duly notarized by a Notary Public.
-Full description of the design with photographic pictures of the industrial design in color (if possible).
-A certified copy of the priority document, in case of claiming priority.

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

Renewals:
None

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:

.sd

More information

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For the best current charges, please consult us.

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Sudan IP: Trademarks, Patents, Industrial Designs, Copyright and Domain Names