MOROCCO

Morocco is a member of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and is a signatory of the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks.A member of the World Intellectual Property Organization since 1971, Morocco follows the 10th Edition of the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks under the Nice Agreement.









Trademark Information

Type of Trademarks:

Marks for goods, Service marks, Associated marks, Series marks, Certification marks, Collective marks or Sound marks

Type of Applicant:

Company, Individual or Jointly.

Registrable Elements:

Character, Chinese characters, Three-dimensional shape, Figure Sign, Claiming colour, Claiming priority, Combination of colours, Sound, Hologram, Scent or taste.

Term of Protection:

10 Years from filing date and renewable for 10 years within 6 months before expiry or 6 months after expiry with surcharge.

Priority Deadline:

6 months from the priority application filing date.

Classification:

11th Edition – Multi class application, Use of class headings.

Search:

Applicable for Word and Device marks (Unofficial).

Examination:

Absolute grounds.

Recordation Applicability :

Application, Registrations, Partial recordation.

Time Frames (Up To):

Search: 3 days.

Registration: 7 months.

-          Filing to Examination decision 1 month

-          Examination decision to Publication 1 month

-          Publication Opposition Period 2 months

-          Registration to Certificate Issuance 3 months

Renewals: 1 month.

Recordation: 1 month.

Appeal: 8 months.

Opposition: 2 months.

Declaration of Use:

Applicable.

Consent and Disclaimers:

Acceptable to overcome refusal.

Cancellation Action:

Applicable for Unlawful registration Non-use for a period of 5 years from the Registration before the Administrative Authorities and Courts.

Infringement Measures:

Prevention of importation of infringing goods by Customs, Raid, Injunction, Damages, Fine and Imprisonment.

Filing Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed. 
• Certified copy of the priority document, if priority is claimed. (May be submitted within 90 days from the filing date)

Renewal Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed. (Required at the time of filing in case we are not the agent of record)

Assignment Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed by the assignee.
• Deed of assignment signed by both parties duly notarized.

License Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed by the Licensee.
• License agreement signed by both parties duly notarized. (Duration of agreement must be indicated and should not exceed the validity of the mark)

Merger / Mortgage Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed.
• Certificate of merger / mortgage duly legalized notarized.

Name / Address Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed in the new name/address.
• A certificate issued by the competent authorities evidencing the changes duly notarized.

Appeal / Opposition Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed. (Required at the time of filing)
• Any document to show prior use in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Brief history of the applicant’s company including list of registrations along with copies of the same in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• The date of first use and registration worldwide and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Extracts from bills/invoices, etc., from the year of inception of the company. 
• Sales turnover from inception up to date in the country of origin and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Any additional helpful documents (ex. Distribution agreements, local advertisements, local newspapers, magazines, etc.) evidencing the use and existence of the mark worldwide and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries.

Patent Information

Type of Patent:

Patent.

Type of Applicant:

Company, Individual or Jointly.

Validity:

Patents 20 years from the international filing date.

Annuities:

Paid after grant with 6 months surcharge grace period.

PCT Based Filing:

Applicable within 31 months from the International filing date.

Revival:

Applicable.

Search:

Applicable.

Examination:

Formality.

Recordation Applicability :

Applications and Registrations.

Time Frames (Up To):

Search: 6 days.

Registration: 20 months.

-          Filing to Preliminary Examination decision 6 months

-          Substantive Examination Payment to Decision 6 months

-          Publication Opposition Period 6 months

-          Grant to Issuance of Letters 24 months

Recordation: 1 month.

Appeal: 8 months.

Opposition: 0 months.

Cancellation Action:

Applicable for Non-use for a period of 3 years from grant before the Courts.

Infringement Measures:

Injunction, Damages, Fine and Imprisonment.

Filing Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed. 
• Deed of assignment signed by both parties duly notarized.
• Certified copy of the priority document, if priority is claimed. (Not Required for PCT) (May be submitted within 90 days from the filing date)

Assignment Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed by the assignee.
• Deed of assignment signed by both parties duly notarized.

License Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed by the Licensee.
• License agreement signed by both parties duly notarized. (Duration of agreement must be indicated and should not exceed the validity of the mark)

Merger / Mortgage Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed.
• Certificate of merger / mortgage duly notarized.

Name / Address Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed in the new name/address.
• A certificate issued by the competent authorities evidencing the changes duly notarized.

Industrial Design Information

Type of Design:

Drawings or Models.

Type of Applicant:

Company, Individual or Jointly.

Validity:

25 years from the international filing date.

Multiple Figures:  

Applicable up to 100 figures.

Annuities:

Renewal for two terms of 5 Years within 6 months from the expiry date or 6 months after expiry date With Surcharge.

Search:

Applicable (Unofficial).

Examination:

Absolute grounds

Recordation Applicability :

Applications and Registrations.

Time Frames (Up To):

Search: 6 days.

Registration: 2 months.

-          Filing to Examination decision 1 month

-          Registration to Certificate Issuance 1 month

Renewal: 2 months.

Recordation: 1 month.

Appeal: 8 months.

Opposition: 0 months.

Cancellation Action:

Applicable for Non-use for a period of 3 years from grant before the Courts.

Infringement Measures:

Injunction, Damages, Fine and Imprisonment.

Filing Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed. 
• Certified copy of the priority document, if priority is claimed. (May be submitted within 90 days from the filing date)

Maintenance Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed. (Required at the time of filing in case we are not the agent of record). 

Assignment Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed by the assignee.
• Deed of assignment signed by both parties duly notarized.

License Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed by the Licensee.
• License agreement signed by both parties duly notarized. (Duration of agreement must be indicated and should not exceed the validity of the mark)

Merger / Mortgage Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed.
• Certificate of merger / mortgage duly notarized.

Name / Address Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed in the new name/address.
• A certificate issued by the competent authorities evidencing the changes duly notarized.

Appeal / Opposition Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed. (Required at the time of filing)
• Any document to show prior use in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Brief history of the applicant’s company including list of registrations along with copies of the same in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• The date of first use and registration worldwide and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Extracts from bills/invoices, etc., from the year of inception of the company. 
• Sales turnover from inception up to date in the country of origin and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries. 
• Any additional helpful documents (ex. Distribution agreements, local advertisements, local newspapers, magazines, etc.) evidencing the use and existence of the mark worldwide and in the stated jurisdiction or neighbouring countries.

Copy Right Information

Works Protected:

Literary works, Artistic works and Architectural Works.

Type of Applicant:

Company, Individual or Jointly.

Related Rights:

Performers, Producers of sound recordings, Broadcasting Organizations.

Term of Protection:

70 years after the author’s death.

Time Frames (Up To):

Registration: 1 month.

Infringement Measures:

Performers, Producers of sound recordings and Broadcasting Organizations.

Filing Requirements:

• Power of Attorney simply signed. (Required at the time of filing)
• Declaration from the author to the applicant signed by both parties duly notarized, if the applicant is not the author. 

Address :

5, Bd Zerktouni, Rés. La Tourette, 6ème étage, Appt. 17, Casablanca, Morocco.

E-mail :

[email protected]

IP Treaties

Madrid Agreement Paris Convention
Nice Agreement PCT - Patent Cooperation Treaty
Berne Convention Lisbon Agreement
Madrid Protocol Nairobi Treaty
WIPO Convention WIPO Copyright Treaty
WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty Brussels Convention
Budapest Treaty Trademark Law Treaty
Hague Agreement Marrakesh VIP Treaty
Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances UPOV Convention