Annual Technical Report on Patent Information Activities in 2023 submitted by

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I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PATENT INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

  • Virtual seminar on Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms for Intellectual Property and Technology Disputes was held on 7th March 2023 with 90 particpants from 16 ARIPO Member States participating
  • Launched the ARIPO Young Professionals Programme which recruits young graduates from the Member States to work at ARIPO to develop their skills and potential in IP administration

II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PATENT INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

  • ARIPO, with support from WIPO through the Korea Funds-in-Trust, continued implementing the IP School Club project in Malawi and Zimbabwe targeting school going children 13-18 years.

III. SOURCES OF PATENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PATENT INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF PATENT INFORMATION

Information on the following topics is desired:

VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF PATENT INFORMATION

Information on the following topics is desired:

VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS

Please include any other relevant information here.

  • ARIPO, in collaboration with AfrIPI, organised virtual training sessions for Communicators from the national IP offices and Ministries responsible for IP from Member and Observer States - https://www.aripo.org/news/Advancing+IP+Communications+&+Awareness-1680809465

  • ARIPO Academy continued to offer the Masters in IP (MIP) programs in partneship with 3 universities in its Member States; i.e., at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana; and the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

  • Jointly organized the patent-drafting course with WIPO at ARIPO Headquarters from 11 to 15 September 2023
  • Relaunched the Training of Trainers project jointly with WIPO to strengthen human resource capacity in IP. It was relaunched and conducted in Harare from 23 to 28 October 2023
  • Organized a Judges’ Colloquium on Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Africa in Swakopmund, Namibia, in May 2023 in collaboration with AfrIPI, the USDOJ, and Namibia's Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA).




1.Classification is allotting one or more classification symbols (e.g., IPC symbols) to a patent application, either before or during search and examination, which symbols are then published with the patent application.

2. Preclassification is allotting an initial broad classification symbol (e.g., IPC class or subclass, or administrative unit) to a patent application, using human or automated means for internal administrative purposes (e.g., routing an application to the appropriate examiner).  Usually preclassification is applied by the administration of an office.

3. Reclassification is the reconsideration and usually the replacement of one or more previously allotted classification symbols to a patent document, following a revision and the entry into force of a new version of the Classification system (e.g., the IPC).  The new symbols are available on patent databases.