International Patent Law Research Guide

Site contains patent search, as well as information on applying for a patent.

OAPI (Organisation Africaine de la Propriete Intellectuelle) is the office that receives and processes patent applications for French-speaking Africa. The member countries are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.

Administers the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). By filing one international patent application under the PCT, applicants can simultaneously seek protection in a very large number of countries. Site contains patent search, reports on patents for certain technologies, treaties and national patent legislation.

Administers TRIPS (Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.)