INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN EAST TIMOR

There is currently no regulation for intellectual property protection in East Timor.
The only way to obtain trademark protection is by publishing a cautionary notice in the local newspapers, thereby claiming ownership and declaring the use of the trademark.
Apart from cautionary notices, there is also a provisional system available for registering with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. However, this is a provisional system, which serves as a deposit of trademarks (already registered in other countries), since there is no legislation providing for trademark registration and protection in the country. There is no time limit for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to do the registration.

East Timor is not a member of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.
At present, there is no legislation providing for patent protection in East Timor.
It has become a usual practice to publish cautionary notices in the local press to alert third parties about a proprietor's rights.
Apart from cautionary notices, there is also a provisional system available for registering a patent with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It works as a deposit of patents (already registered in other countries). There is no time limit for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to do the registration.

East Timor is not a signatory to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
East Timor does not have any primary law governing copyright protection.