Overview
Morocco offers trademark, patent, and industrial design protection under the administration of the Office Marocain de la Propriété Industrielle et Commerciale (OMPIC). It is not part of any regional African IP organizations, so local and foreign applicants file directly with OMPIC to secure rights. Through continuous alignment with international standards, Morocco facilitates clear administrative and legal channels for IP registration and enforcement.
Morocco’s IP system provides national-level oversight, including official examinations and established procedures for dispute resolution in cases of infringement. These measures ensure that rights holders can rely on recognized protection within the country’s expanding market.
International Conventions
Morocco is signatory to various global agreements that influence its IP framework, including:
Paris Convention
Berne Convention
TRIPS Agreement
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
Madrid Protocol
IP office
Trademark applications in Morocco typically follow a multi-class filing approach, with all matters handled by OMPIC.
• Applicants must submit a clear depiction of the trademark and pay the prescribed fees.
• A substantive examination confirms the trademark’s distinctiveness and verifies no conflict with existing registrations.
• Registration is valid for 10 years from the filing date, renewable for consecutive 10-year periods.
• Applicants must provide accurate details regarding name, address, and the goods or services in the relevant classes.
• Morocco’s participation in the Madrid Protocol allows international applicants to designate Morocco through a single international trademark application.
Trademark owners can enforce their rights in administrative or judicial proceedings, ensuring protection against unauthorized use within the Moroccan territory.
Patent protection in Morocco applies to inventions meeting novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability requirements. All filings are lodged with OMPIC.
• Patents are typically valid for 20 years from the filing date, subject to annual maintenance fee payments.
• Applicants must provide a specification, claims, and supporting documents describing the invention in detail.
• OMPIC conducts substantive examinations based on local patentability criteria.
• Morocco’s status as a contracting state of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) permits applicants to enter the national phase following an international application.
Once granted, patent owners hold exclusive rights in Morocco to prevent unauthorized manufacture, sale, or use of the patented invention.
Industrial design registrations in Morocco protect aesthetic or ornamental aspects of an article. Submissions, filed with OMPIC, must meet eligibility requirements regarding novelty or originality.
• Applicants must furnish representations of the design and pay the official fees.
• Design registrations typically last for an initial term of five years, renewable twice for a total of 15 years.
• Applicants must include precise information about the owner and the design to guarantee valid registration.
Registered design holders can take legal actions if identical or substantially similar designs appear in the Moroccan market without authorization.
This information does not constitute legal advice; it is for informational purposes only.
