News & Updates

A court ruling confirmed that ARIPO trade mark filings have no legal effect in Tanzania, because the Banjul Protocol was never properly adopted into national law. For protection in Tanzania, direct national filing remains required.

With effect from 1 January 2026, WIPO introduded the 13th edition oft he Nice Classification (NCL 13-2026). Countries do not always move to a new Nice edition in exactly the same way, so the applicable edition should still be checked jurisdiction by jurisdiction. In the current Country Index 2026 poster, however, all listed countries and systems are shown as applying Nice (13th ed.), including the EU Trade Mark and International Trademark Registrations. 

Argentina’s INPI has introduced important changes to trade mark examination and procedure. Under Resolution 583/2025, published on 11 December 2025, the Office now examines only absolute grounds, while relative grounds must be raised by third parties through opposition.

From 1 March 2026, formalities and registrability examination will take place before publication. Applications will then be published for one day in the Trademark Gazette, and if no opposition is filed within 30 calendar days, the application will proceed to grant.

From 20 September 2025, Brazil’s BPTO replaced the former two-step fee system with a single fee payable at filing. This means that the final registration fees are now effectively prepaid at the time of filing and cover the full prosecution of the application, including registration and the first ten years of protection.

As a result, once an application is allowed, registration can proceed automatically without a separate grant-fee stage, helping to speed up the process.