INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN LESOTHO

Lesotho is a member of the African Regional Industrial Property Organization (ARIPO) and a signatory to the Banjul Protocol.
A trademark application can be filed either directly through the local trademark office under the Ministry of Law and Constitutional Affairs Registrar General's Office or ARIPO.
Lesotho is also a member of the Madrid Protocol; thus, the extension of international registration of a trademark via the Madrid System is possible for the country and its applicants.
The country has a multi-class trademark filing system.
The 11th edition of Nice Classification is accepted by the trademark office.
The interested third parties may file opposition actions against a trademark application within three (03) months following the date on which the application is published in the Official Gazette of the Kingdom of Lesotho.
The registered trademarks have a validity of ten (10) years from the date of application in Lesotho, which can be further renewed indefinitely for periods of ten (10) years.

Lesotho is a member of the Paris Convention, Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), and ARIPO.
The Industrial Property Oder, 1989, and the Industrial Property Amendment Act, 1997 deal with the mechanism of patent protection.
Process Patent and Product Patent are the two types of patents that can be protected in Lesotho.
In Lesotho, an invention that satisfies the conditions of novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability, subjects to patentability.
The types of patent applications in Lesotho include Non-Convention Application, Convention Application, PCT National Phase Application, and Divisional Application.
Utility Model Protection is available under the patent law.
The time-period for the PCT National Phase Filing is thirty (30) months.
Opposition against a patent application can't be raised in Lesotho.
The patent of invention lasts for fifteen (15) years in Lesotho.
The time frame for payment of Annuities before the due date is six (06) months.

Lesotho is a member of the Paris Convention and ARIPO.
The Industrial Property Oder, 1989, and the Industrial Property Amendment Act, 1997, deal with the mechanism of registration of industrial designs.
The types of industrial design applications in Lesotho include Non-Convention Application and Convention Application.
Utility model protection isn't provided under industrial design protection in Lesotho.
Opposition against an industrial design application can't be raised in Lesotho.
The total duration of an industrial design registration is fifteen (15) years from the date of application. The initial term of registration is five (05) years, which is further extendible for two terms of (05) five years each upon payment of the renewal fee.
There is a grace period of six (06) months to renew an industrial design in Lesotho.

Lesotho is a signatory to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
The Copyright Order, 1989 deals with the mechanism of copyright protection in Lesotho.
In Lesotho, a copy of the best edition of the creative work must be submitted to the copyright office within three (03) months from the date of its publication.
The standard copyright protection term lasts for the lifetime of the author plus fifty (50) years following his death. However, the duration of copyright protection varies depending on the type of work.