Knowledge & Guides
Key IP essentials by country/region, at a glance
区域组织
Regional Organizations
Granted and administered by supranational bodies, commonly used for regional filings in trademarks, designs, and patents. Advantages include one filing with multi-country coverage, but the effect and scope of rights must be confirmed under each regime’s rules (e.g., whether national designations are required and whether protection takes effect automatically).
欧洲
Europe
Europe offers both regional and national routes: trademarks and designs can obtain EU-wide protection via EUIPO; patents are examined centrally by the EPO and then take effect in member states. Member states still differ on details such as evidence of use, opposition mechanisms, and renewal windows.
北美
North America
Overall, systems are mature and transparent: the U.S. places strong emphasis on evidence of use/availability in trademarks; Canada and Mexico procedures and terminology are closer to civil-law traditions. In designs, terminology may appear as “industrial design” or “design patent.”
南美
South America
Primarily civil-law jurisdictions; language (Spanish/Portuguese) and grant document requirements can be stricter. Many countries support e-filing, but requirements vary for priority documents, powers of attorney, and notarization/legalization; timelines and grace periods also differ noticeably.
亚洲
Asia
Large and diverse: languages, document formats, examination speeds, and use requirements vary widely. Most jurisdictions support e-filing; some have specific rules on prior use/intent-to-use, priority periods, and classification versions.
非洲
Africa
Typically, national and regional routes coexist: beyond national filings, OAPI provides a single filing with unitary effect, while ARIPO requires member-state designations. Languages vary (EN/FR, etc.), so pay close attention to document formats and legalization requirements.
大洋洲
Oceania
Australia and New Zealand have mature, highly digitalized systems, with classification and examination standards close to the common-law tradition. Pacific island states are smaller with more fragmented rules and greater sensitivity to powers of attorney, notarization, and processing times.