Ethiopia's WTO Bid Spurs Intellectual Property Law Rewrite

July 31, 2026
By Mintesinot Nigussie

Ethiopia is revising its intellectual property legislation as part of efforts to meet international legal standards required for membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to officials quoted by Ahadu Radio. The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Authority is preparing amendments to laws governing trademarks, copyright and industrial designs to align the country's legal framework with evolving global intellectual property rules.

Biruk Workneh, the authority's Public Relations and Communications Executive, told Ahadu Radio that the reforms are intended to modernise legislation that has remained largely unchanged for around two decades while ensuring compliance with international practices. Trademark legislation is among the laws undergoing revision. The authority said the proposed amendments will broaden the scope of legal protection for trademarks, a move considered necessary as Ethiopia advances negotiations to join the WTO. Officials say compliance with international intellectual property standards forms part of the legal commitments expected of prospective WTO members.

The review also follows Ethiopia's accession to the Madrid Protocol, an international treaty that enables businesses to register trademarks across multiple member countries through a single application. The authority said membership in the protocol has created a need to update domestic trademark legislation. Copyright legislation is also being revised. Existing copyright proclamations, enacted in 2004 and amended in 2015, are being updated to incorporate provisions for collective management organisations, allowing copyright holders to administer their rights through collective bodies rather than individually.

Industrial design legislation is likewise under review as part of the broader reform package. Officials said the amendments are designed to bring Ethiopia's intellectual property regime into line with international legal frameworks as the country continues its WTO accession process.

Source: FSX Business News