Anti-Counterfeit Authority(ACA) has rolled out Intellectual Property Rights(IPR) Recordation and Admission of IPR Agents. The service will be offered through an online platform called Anti-Counterfeit Authority Integrated Management System which shall process recordal applications, change of IPR ownership, cancellation of recordation and maintenance of IPR recordal database.
Notably, raw materials used to manufacture goods are exempted from recordation and IPR recordation is subject to annual renewals.
Goods originally imported into Kenya and found within Kenyan without IPR recordation shall be seized and destroyed by ACA. It is thus the responsibility of any person seeking to import goods into Kenya for commercial purposes to ensure that the intellectual property right relating to the good recorded.
Additionally, under Anti-Counterfeit Act, it is an offence to:
- Import into Kenya, any goods or items bearing a trade mark, trade name or copyright that has not been recorded with ACA;
- Import into Kenya, in the course of trade, any goods or items except raw materials that is unbranded;
- Fail to declare the quantity or the intellectual property right subsisting in any goods being imported into the Kenya;
- Falsely declare the quantity or the intellectual property rights subsisting in any goods being imported into Kenya.
Contact our team for clarification and assistance on recordation @ipnoved@gmail.com.