TRADEMARKS

CHAPTER 49:01
TRADEMARKS

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

PART I
PRELIMINARY

    1.    Short title

    2.    Interpretation

PART II
TRADEMARKS OFFICE

    3.    Establishment of the Trademarks Office

    4.    Registrar

    5.    Appointment of other officers in the Trademarks Office

    6.    Register

PART III
REGISTRATION OF TRADEMARKS AND RELATED MATTERS

    7.    Application for registration of a trademark

    8.    Grounds for refusal of registration

    9.    Advertisement of an application

    10.    Opposition to an application

    11.    Registration of a trademark

    12.    Rights conferred by registration

    13.    Infringement of a trademark

    14.    Exhaustion of rights

    15.    Use of unregistered trademark

    16.    Registration subject to disclaimer

    17.    Limitation as to colour and absence thereof

    18.    Classification of goods and services

    19.    Registration of parts of trademarks and of trademarks as a series

    20.    Assignment and transmission of a trademark

    21.    Associated trademarks to be assignable and transmissible as a whole

    22.    Registration of assignment and transmission

    23.    Registration as licensee

    24.    Duration of rights and renewals

    25.    Removal of trademark for non-use

    26.    Use of one of associated or substantially identical trademarks equivalent to use of another

PART IV
RECTIFICATION AND REMOVAL OF ENTRIES IN THE REGISTER

    27.    Rectification and correction of the Register

    28.    Removal or variation of registration of a trademark for breach of condition

    29.    Alteration of registered trademarks

    30.    Owner or applicant to be heard before decision is made by Registrar

    31.    Evidence of certain entries and documents

    32.    Request for information

    33.    Advertisements to be approved by the Registrar

PART V
INFRINGEMENT OF TRADEMARKS AND UNFAIR COMPETITION

    34.    Infringement of a trademark

    35.    Remedies for infringement of a trademark

    36.    Acts of unfair competition

PART VI
WELL KNOWN, COLLECTIVE AND CERTIFICATION MARKS

    37.    Protection of well known marks

    38.    Factors for determining well known marks

    39.    Registration of collective marks

    40.    Registration of certification marks

PART VII
CGEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS

    41.    Application for registration of a geographical indication

    42.    Acceptance and advertisement of an application

    43.    Grounds for refusal of registration

    44.    Registration of geographical indications

    45.    Rights conferred by registration

    46.    Infringement of a geographical indication

PART VIII
OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

    47.    Falsification of entries in the Register

    48.    False representation of a registered trademark

    49.    Deceiving or influencing the Registrar

    50.    Forgery of geographical indications

    51.    Forgery of trademarks and other prohibited acts

    52.    Prohibition of sale or importation of goods with forged trademarks

    53.    Aiding and abetting commission of offences outside Malawi

    54.    Witness giving false evidence

    55.    Importation of infringing goods

    56.    Commissioner General may prescribe rules on notice requirements

    57.    Commissioner General to disclose information

PART IX
INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION OF TRADEMARKS

    58.    Treaty arrangements

    59.    Power to make regulations giving effect to treaties

    60.    Registration under the Banjul Protocol

    61.    Registration under the Madrid Protocol

PART X
APPEALS AND OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

    62.    Establishment of Appeals Tribunal

    63.    Infringement or passing off of a trademark

    64.    Registrar’s original jurisdiction

    65.    Reference to Appeals Tribunal by Registrar

    66.    Proceedings before the Registrar

    67.    Power of Registrar to fix time and place

    68.    Registration to be prima facie evidence of validity

    69.    Market survey evidence

    70.    Registrar’s appearance in proceedings

    71.    Discretion of the Appeals Tribunal

    72.    Security for costs

    73.    Power to award and tax costs

PART XI
TRADEMARK AGENTS

    74.    Trademark agents

    75.    Trademark agents register

PART XII
MISCELLANEOUS

    76.    Jointly owned trademarks

    77.    Lodging and authentication of documents

    78.    Fees

    79.    Oaths and affirmations

    80.    Trademarks Journal

    81.    Regulations

    82.    Repeal and Savings

        FIRST SCHEDULE

        SECOND SCHEDULE

        THIRD SCHEDULE

        FOURTH SCHEDULE

2 of 2018
G.N. 81/2018

    An Act to regulate matters relating to registration and protection of trademarks, well known marks, collective marks, certification marks, geographical indications and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto

PART I
PRELIMINARY

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the Trademarks Act.

2.    Interpretation

    In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

    “Appeals Tribunal” means the Appeals Tribunal established under section 62;

    “Commissioner General” means the Commissioner General of the Malawi Revenue Authority appointed pursuant to section 17 of the Malawi Revenue Authority Act;

    “geographical indication” means an indication which identifies goods or products as originating in the territory of a country, region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of a product is essentially attributable to…