PCT Applicant's Guide Zimbabwe EQE - Valid as from 31 Oct 2023

Materials for the European Qualifying Examination (EQE)
Special edition as of 31 October 2023, prepared for EQE candidates

Useful information

The PCT Applicant’s Guide is updated almost every week with information received by the International Bureau.

In case of question, please contact the Office or the International Bureau (pct.guide@wipo.int).

List of abbreviations used in this document:

Office: Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office

ZPL: Zimbabwe Patents Act

ZPR: Zimbabwe Patents Regulations

List of currencies used in this document:

USD (US dollar), ZWD (Zimbabwe dollar)

Countries and Offices information:

The list of acronyms used for Offices is no longer shown as it has been integrated in the mouseover functionality for each ST.3 code shown in this document.
Refer to List of WIPO Standards, Recommendations and Guidelines formerly Annex K, List of country names and two-letter codes. It includes a list of short names and two-letter codes accepted for use in indicating States, other entities and intergovernmental organizations and their Offices in documents relating to international applications under the PCT. The list is as set out in WIPO Standard ST.3.
Also refer to PCT Contracting States formerly Annex A.

Office profile

For more technical information about the Office, refer to ePCT Office profile.

PCT Reservations, Declarations, Notifications and Incompatibilities

The Office does not have any reservations, declarations, notifications or incompatibilities.
Refer to the full list.

Office Closed dates

The Office is closed weekly on Saturday and Sunday

Additional closed dates can be consulted on the Office Closed dates page

International Phase

Annex B - Information on Contracting States or Intergovernmental Organization

Contracting State:

Zimbabwe

Two-letter code:

Name of Office:

Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office

Location:

Century House East
38 N. Mandela Avenue
Harare
Zimbabwe

Mailing address:

P.O. Box CY 177
Causeway
Harare
Zimbabwe

Telephone:

(263-4) 78 18 35
(263-4) 77 55 44
(263-4) 77 55 45
(263-4) 77 55 46

E-mail:

fmaredza@yahoo.com

Website:

None

Facsimile:

(263-4) 77 73 72

Does the Office accept the filing of documents by facsimile or the like means (PCT Rule 92.4)?

Yes, by facsimile

Which kinds of documents may be so transmitted?

All kinds of documents

Must the original of the document be furnished in all cases?

Yes, within one month from the date of the transmission

Would the Office accept evidence of mailing a document, in case of loss or delay, where a delivery service other than the postal authorities is used (PCT Rule 82.1)?

Yes

provided that the delivery service is:
DHL

Is the Office prepared to allow applicants to make applications available to the WIPO Digital Access Service for Priority Documents (DAS) (PCT Rule 17.1(b-bis)?

Competent receiving Office(s) for international applications filed by nationals or residents of this State:

AP,

IB,

Does national legislation restrict the filing of international applications with foreign Offices?

Refer to the Office

Competent designated (or elected) Office(s) for this State:

National protection: ZW

ARIPO protection: AP

Types of protection available via the PCT:

National:

Patents

Patents of addition

ARIPO:

Patents

Utility models (a utility model may be sought instead of or in addition to an ARIPO patent)

Availability under the national law for an international-type search (PCT Article 15):

None

Provisional protection after international publication:

None

Information of interest if this Contracting State is designated (or elected)

For national protection

Time when the name and address of the inventor must be given:

Must be in the request. If the data concerning the inventor are missing at the expiration of the time limit applicable under PCT Article 22 or 39(1), the Office will invite the applicant to comply with the requirement within a time limit of two months from the date of receipt of the invitation.

Are there special provisions concerning the deposit of microorganisms and other biological material?

For an ARIPO patent

Refer to Annex B(AP)

Annex C - Receiving Office

Competent receiving Office for nationals and residents of:

Zimbabwe

Language in which international applications may be filed:

English

Number of copies required by the receiving Office if application filed on paper:

Does the receiving Office accept the filing of international applications in electronic form?

Information not yet available

Does the receiving Office accept requests for restoration of the right of priority (PCT Rule 26bis.3)?

Yes, please refer to the Office for the applicable criteria and/or any fee payable for such requests

Competent International Searching Authority:

AT,

AU,

CN,

EP,

Competent International Preliminary Examining Authority:

AT,

AU,

CN ¹,

EP ²,

Fees payable to the receiving Office:

Transmittal fee:

6,000 ZWD

International filing fee:

Equivalent in ZWD of 1,435 USD

This fee is reduced by 90% if certain conditions apply (refer to Annex C(IB)).

Fee per sheet in excess of 30:

Equivalent in ZWD of 16 USD

Search fee:

Equivalent in ZWD of the search fee payable to the International Searching Authority chosen by the applicant:
Refer to
Annex D(AT)
Annex D(AU)
Annex D(CN)
Annex D(EP)
Annex D(RU)

Fee for priority document (PCT Rule 17.1(b)):

150 ZWD

per page, plus 2 ZWD

Is an agent required by the receiving Office?

No, but an address for service in Zimbabwe is required

Who can act as agent?

An attorney, legal practitioner or patent agent. A list of registered agents may be obtained from the Office

Waiver of power of attorney:

Has the Office waived the requirement that a separate power of attorney be submitted?

Refer to the Office

Has the Office waived the requirement that a copy of a general power of attorney be submitted?

Refer to the Office

National Phase

Summary of requirements for entry into the national phase

Time limits applicable for entry into the national phase:

Under PCT Article 22(1): 30 months from the priority date
Under PCT Article 39(1)(b): 31 months from the priority date

Translation of international application required into (one of) the following language(s):

Must be furnished or paid within the time limit applicable under PCT Article 22 or 39(1).

English

Required contents of the translation for entry into the national phase:

Must be furnished or paid within the time limit applicable under PCT Article 22 or 39(1).

Under PCT Article 22: Description, claims (if amended, both as originally filed and as amended, together with any statement under PCT Article 19), any text matter of drawings, abstract

Under PCT Article 39(1): Description, claims, any text matter of drawings, abstract (if any of those parts has been amended, both as originally filed and as amended by the annexes to the international preliminary examination report)

Is a copy of the international application required in particular circumstances?

Yes

National fees:

Must be furnished or paid within the time limit applicable under PCT Article 22 or 39(1).

Filing fee

6,000 ZWD

Exemptions, reductions or refunds of fees:

None

Special requirements of the Office (PCT Rule 51bis):

If not already complied with within the time limit applicable under PCT Article 22 or 39(1), the Office will invite the applicant to comply with the requirement within a time limit fixed in the invitation.

The list of special requirements is still subject to confirmation by the Office

Address for service in Zimbabwe (no representation by an agent is required but, if an agent is appointed, a power of attorney must be furnished)

Instrument of assignment of the international application if the applicant has changed after the international filing date and the change has not been reflected in the international publication or in a notification from the International Bureau (Form PCT/IB/306)

Document evidencing a change of name of the applicant if the change occurred after the international filing date and has not been reflected in the international publication or in a notification from the International Bureau (Form PCT/IB/306)

Verified translation of the international application to be furnished in duplicate

Verified translation of the priority document ³

Who can act as agent?

An attorney, legal practitioner or patent agent. A list of registered agents may be obtained from the Office.

Does the Office accept requests for restoration of the right of priority (PCT Rule 49ter.2)?

Yes, please refer to the Office for the applicable criteria and/or any fee payable for such requests

The procedure in the national Phase

ZW.01 TRANSLATION (CORRECTION)

ZPL Art. 54(1)(a)
Errors in the translation of the international application can be corrected with reference to the text of the international application as filed (refer to National Phase, paragraphs 6.002 and 6.003).

ZW.02 FEES (MANNER OF PAYMENT)

The manner of payment of the fees indicated in the Summary and in this Chapter is outlined in Annex ZW.I.

ZW.03 AMENDMENT OF THE APPLICATION

PCT Art. 28, PCT Art. 41, ZPL Art. 37
The applicant may amend or correct the international application at any time up to the acceptance of the complete specification, provided that the scope of the subject matter of the application is not broadened thereby, and that the request is made in writing, states the nature of the amendment and the reasons for the amendment. The request should be accompanied by the prescribed fee (refer to Annex ZW.I). Requests for amendment of an accepted specification and its nature and reasons therefor must be published by the applicant in the Patent and Trade Marks Journal, and any person may notify the Registrar of opposition to the amendment within three months of that publication.

ZW.04

ZPL Art. 54, ZPR Art. 74, ZPR Art. 75
The Registrar may also authorize the correction of any clerical error or omission or error in translation in any patent application or other document, amendment of any documents not otherwise provided for in the Patents Act or correction of any procedural irregularity relating to proceedings before the Registrar. Such corrections may be made upon request in writing accompanied by the prescribed fee (refer to Annex ZW.I) or without such a request.

ZW.05 PUBLICATION

ZPL Art. 16, ZPR Art. 24
The applicant must publish a notice in the Patent and Trade Marks Journal upon acceptance of the complete specification by the Registrar, and the application form, specification and other documents are open to public inspection as of the date of publication of that notice.

ZW.06 RENEWAL FEES

ZPL Art. 27, ZPR Art. 37
After a patent has been granted, renewal fees must be paid for maintaining the patent in force. The first renewal fee is payable for the third year following the international filing date. Payment of the annual fees for subsequent years must be made before the anniversary of the international filing date. The Registrar may, upon the request of the applicant and subject to the payment of an additional fee, extend the time for payment of the renewal fee for a period not exceeding six months. The amounts of the renewal fees are indicated in Annex ZW.I. No renewal fees are payable for the renewal of a patent of addition.

ZW.07 EXCUSE OF DELAYS IN MEETING TIME LIMITS

PCT Art. 24(2), PCT Art. 48(2), PCT Rule 82bis, ZPL Art. 28
Reference is made to paragraphs 6.022 to 6.027 of the National Phase. Owners of patents which have lapsed due to failure to pay any renewal fee within the prescribed time limit may, within three years from the date on which the patent lapsed, apply in the prescribed manner to the Registrar for restoration of the lapsed patent. The request for restoration must contain a verified statement setting out the circumstances which led to the failure to pay the renewal fee. The Registrar may require the submission of additional evidence or may permit the applicant to have a hearing. Where the Registrar is satisfied that the failure to pay the renewal fee was unintentional and there was no undue delay in making the request for restoration, the request for restoration may be granted upon payment of the unpaid renewal fee and such additional fee as may be prescribed (refer to Annex ZW.I), and after providing for opposition to the request.

ZW.08 REVIEW UNDER ARTICLE 25 OF THE PCT

PCT Art. 25, PCT Rule 51, ZPL Art. 69, ZPL Art. 70, ZPL Art. 71, ZPL Art. 76
The applicable procedure is outlined in paragraphs 6.018 to 6.021 of the National Phase. Where so provided in the Patents Act, applicants may appeal from decisions of the Registrar to the Patents Tribunal within three months after the date of the decision by the Registrar, or within such further time as the Patents Tribunal may allow.

ZW.09 APPEALS

ZPL Art. 74, ZPL Art. 76
Any order or decision of the Patents Tribunal may be appealed to the Supreme Court within three months after the date of the decision by the Tribunal, or within such further time as the Patents Tribunal may allow.

ZW.10 PATENT OF ADDITION

PCT Rule 49bis.1(c), PCT Rule 76.5, ZPL Art. 26
Any desire of the applicant to obtain, in Zimbabwe, on the basis of an international application, a patent of addition instead of a patent must have been indicated, for international applications filed before 1 January 2004, in the international application (in Box No. V of the request) when filed; for international applications filed on or after 1 January 2004, since the request form no longer provides for the furnishing of such an indication, the applicant, when performing the acts referred to in Article 22 or 39, shall so indicate to the Office.

Annexes

Annex ZW.I - Fees

Filing fee

6,000 ZWD

Publication fee

1,000 ZWD

Fee for amendment of the specification:

— before sealing

1,000 ZWD

— after sealing

2,000 ZWD

Fee for correction

500 ZWD

Renewal fees:

— for the 4^th to the 10^th year, counted from the international filing date

per year 2,000 ZWD

— for the 11^th to the 15^th year, counted from the international filing date

per year 3,000 ZWD

— for the 16^th to the 20^th year, counted from the international filing date

per year 4,000 ZWD

Fee for extension of time limit to pay renewal fees, per month (not exceeding six months)

1,000 ZWD

Fee for restoration of lapsed patent.

5,000 ZWD

How can payment of fees be effected?

(i) All fees must be paid to the Office

(ii) The national fees may be paid by money order, check, bank draft or in cash. All payments should include the complete application number, the name of the applicant and the type of fee being paid

Forms

Please refer to the Office.

Notes:
¹ ^aThe Office is competent only if the international search is or has been carried out by that Office
² ^aThe Office is competent only if the international search is or has been carried out by that Office or by the Austrian Patent Office
³ ^aIf the validity of the priority claim is relevant to the determination of whether the invention concerned is patentable.

Processing

ZW - Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office

Useful information

International Phase

Annex B - Information on Contracting States or Intergovernmental Organization

Annex C - Receiving Office

National Phase

Summary of requirements for entry into the national phase

The procedure in the national Phase

Annexes

Processing

ZW - Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office

Error Information Warning Confirmation

ZW - Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office