Skip to main content

Rwanda (26 texts)

Quick Access
Laws (12 texts)	Implementing Rules/Regulations (11 texts)	Treaty Approvals (3 texts)
IP Legal Literature (1 texts)	Treaty Membership (50 texts)	Relevant links

Laws	Constitution / Basic Law (Date of current version) Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda (2003) Main IP Laws: enacted by the Legislature (Date of current version) Law No. 31/2009 of 26/10/2009 on the Protection of Intellectual Property (2009) IP-related Laws: enacted by the Legislature (Date of current version) Law No. 51/2010 of 10/01/2010 Establishing the Kigali International Arbitration Centre and Determining its Organisation, Functionning and Competence (2011) Law No. 19/2010 of 09/06/2010 on the Organization of the Craft Sector (2010) Law No. 18/2010 of 12/05/2010 Relating to Electronic Messages, Electronic Signatures and Electronic Transactions (2010) Law No. 07/2009 of 27/04/2009 relating to companies (2009) Organic Law establishing the commercial courts and determining their organisation, functioning and jurisdiction (2007) Law No. 21/2006 of April 28, 2006 Establishing the Customs System (2006) Law No. 12/99 relating to the Pharmaceutical Art (1999) Decree-Law No. 26/78 on the creation of the Office for Tea (1978) Decree-Law No. 27/78 on the creation of the Office for Coffee (1978) Penal Code of Rwanda (1977)

Implementing Rules/Regulations	Intellectual Property (Date of current version) Ministerial Order No. 05/10/Minicom of 25/08/2010 Determining the Timeframe provided for Granting of Unilateral Licence, a Compulsory Licence and Opposition to Registration of Intellectual Property (2010) Ministerial Order No. 06/10/Minicom of 25/08/2010 determining the fees payable for registration services of an intellectual property (2010) Ministerial Order No. 07/10/Minicom of 25/08/2010 determining the structure and functioning of the Council of Appeal in charge of settling disputes related to intellectual property (2010) Ministerial Order No. 01/10/MINISPOC of 20/08/2010 determining the content of the application for suspension of procedures of clearing goods suspected to have been pirated (2010) Ministerial Orders on Companies (2009) Presidential Decree No. 277/14. Establishment of the Commission for collection and distribution of copyright. (1985) Presidential Decree No. 275/14. Tariff of copyright on the lucrative use of works of folklore. (1985) Presidential Decree No. 276/14. Price and conditions of the resale right. (1985) Ministerial Decree No. 5/10/67. Measures implementing the Law on Patents (1967) Ministerial Decree No. 3/10/67. Measures implementing the Law on Trademarks (1967) Ministerial Decree No. 4/10/67. Measures implementing the Law on Industrial Designs (1967)

Treaty Approvals	Laws / Decrees (Date of current version) Presidential Order No. 16/01 of 16/02/2011 Ratifying the Patent Cooperation Treaty done at Washington, United States of America on 19 June 1970 (2011) Presidential Order No. 17/01 of 16/02/2011 ratifying the Additional Protocol on the Agreement of Lusaka, Zambia of 09 December 1976 on the Creation of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) on Patents and Industrial Designs within the Framework of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Adopted on 10 December 1982 at Harare, Zimbabwe (2011) Law No. 27/2009 of 07/09/2009 Authorising Ratification of the Madrid Agreement relating to the International Registration of Trade Marks Adopted in Madrid, Spain on 27 June 1989 (2009)

IP Legal Literature	Rwanda Intellectual Property Policy (2009)

Treaty Membership	WIPO-Administered Treaties (Entry into force of the Treaty for the Contracting Party) Summary Table of Membership of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Treaties Administered by WIPO, plus UPOV, WTO and UN Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs (August 31, 2011) Patent Cooperation Treaty (August 31, 2011) Brussels Convention Relating to the Distribution of Program-Carrying Signals Transmitted by Satellite (July 25, 2001) Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (March 1, 1984) Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (March 1, 1984) Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization (February 3, 1984) IP-related Multilateral Treaties (Entry into force of the Treaty for the Contracting Party) Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity ... Protocol 3 annexed to the Universal Copyright Convention as signed at Geneva on 6 September 1952 concerning the effective date of instruments of ratification or acceptance of or accession to that Convention ... United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ... Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (April 21, 2013) Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2005 (October 16, 2012) International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (January 12, 2011) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (January 14, 2009) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (January 14, 2009) International Plant Protection Convention (August 26, 2008) Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons (January 2, 2007) WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (January 17, 2006) Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (February 16, 2005) Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity (October 20, 2004) Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (May 17, 2004) Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (December 25, 2001) Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (March 28, 2001) Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (March 28, 2001) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (November 16, 1998) Convention on Biological Diversity (August 27, 1996) Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO) (May 22, 1996) World Trade Organization (WTO) - Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) (1994) (May 22, 1996) Protocol 1 annexed for Universal Copyright Convention as revised at Paris on 24 July 1971 concerning the application of that Convention to works of Stateless persons and refugees (November 10, 1989) Protocol 1 annexed to the Universal Copyright Convention as signed at Geneva on 6 September 1952 concerning the application of that Convention to works of stateless persons and refugees (November 10, 1989) Protocol 2 annexed for Universal Copyright Convention as revised at Paris on 24 July 1971 concerning the application of that Convention to works of certain international organizations (November 10, 1989) Protocol 2 annexed to the Universal Copyright Convention as signed at Geneva on 6 September 1952 concerning the application of that Convention the works of certain international organizations (November 10, 1989) Universal Copyright Convention as revised on 24 July 1971, with Appendix Declaration relating to Article XVII and Resolution concerning Article XI (November 10, 1989) Universal Copyright Convention of 6 September 1952, with Appendix Declaration relating to Article XVII and Resolution concerning Article XI (November 10, 1989) Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts (May 19, 1985) Protocol (II) Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (May 19, 1985) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (January 3, 1976) Convention on Transit Trade of Land-locked States (September 12, 1968) Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials (July 1, 1962) Convention and Statute on Freedom of Transit (July 1, 1962) Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field (July 1, 1962) Convention (II) for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea (July 1, 1962) Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (July 1, 1962) IP Regional Treaties (Entry into force of the Treaty for the Contracting Party) Harare Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs Within the Framework of the African Regional Industrial Property Organization (ARIPO) (September 24, 2011) Lusaka Agreement on the Creation of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) (June 24, 2011) Cultural Charter for Africa (September 19, 1990) Regional Economic Integration Treaties (Entry into force of the Treaty for the Contracting Party) Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community (July 1, 2007) Constitutive Act of the African Union (May 26, 2001) Treaty Establishing the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (December 8, 1994) Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (AEC) (May 12, 1994) The Georgetown Agreement (formally establishing the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, the "ACP Group"), since 1975 (ACP) (February 12, 1976)

Relevant links	Directory of IP Offices

Last Updated October 12, 2010

WIPO Lex

Related Links

E-newsletters

Enter e-mail address below to subscribe to updates

ABOUT WIPO IP SERVICES PROGRAM ACTIVITIES RESOURCES NEWS & EVENTS