– Decree-Law No. 6/96, enacted on February 25, 1997, and published in the Official Gazette dated March 3, 1997, in force immediately after publication. However, regulations and instructions for the application of the Decree-Law have not yet been issued.

On July 8, 1998, Guinea-Bissau became a member of the “Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle” (OAPI). Patent, trademark and design applications at the OAPI at Yaoundé (Cameroon Republic) cover all countries of the Bangui Agreement. For full particulars, see under “African Intellectual Property Organization“.

– Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), since June 28, 1988.
– Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1883), Stockholm Act, since June 28, 1988.
– Berne Convention, since July 22, 1991.
– WTO’s TRIPS Agreement, since May 31, 1995.
– Patent Cooperation Treaty, (Chapters I and II), since December 12, 1997.
– Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI), since July 8, 1998.

Patent, utility model, trademark and design protection for Guinea-Bissau is to be sought through the filing of OAPI applications with the central Office of the OAPI. at Yaoundé (Cameroon Republic). It is not necessary or even possible to specifically designate any state for the grant of industrial property rights under the OAPI system. The rights granted thereon automatically extend to all OAPI member States, including Guinea-Bissau.