Morocco recognises European patents as national patents

Morocco is the first non-member country of the European Patent Organisation to validate the legal effects of a European patent on its territory.

A historic step for the European patent system, which brings to 41 the number of countries for which patent protection can be obtained simultaneously with a single European patent application.

The legal certainty of patents granted by the EPO and validated in Morocco will strengthen the economic benefits of the Moroccan patent system and increase the country’s attractiveness for foreign investment.

It is to be noted that Morocco’s intellectual property system has been newly reformed.

The agreement will enter into force on 1 March 2015.