Provides advice on IPR protection, including information on the registration of patents and trademarks.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) are protected in Mauritius by the Patents, Industrial Designs and Trade Marks Act of 2002 and the Copyrights Act 2014.  However, to reinforce and expand IPR protections in Mauritius, the government announced it will adopt a new Industrial Property Bill, covering all aspects of IPR.  In addition to patents, trademarks, and industrial designs, the Bill is intended to protect plant breeders’ rights, geographical indications, and layout designs of integrated circuits and utility models which are not covered by the existing legislation.  In his 2016-17 Budget Speech, the Minister of Finance announced that the government will adhere to the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the Hague Convention, and the Madrid Protocol to facilitate the registration of patents, trademarks and industrial designs.  The new bill is expected to make provision for Mauritius to join these international treaties.

While IP legislation in Mauritius is consistent with international norms, enforcement is relatively weak.  According to a leading IPR law firm, the authorities will normally only take action in cases where the IPR owner has an official representative in Mauritius because the courts require a representative to testify that the products seized are counterfeit or otherwise legally problematic.  The Customs Department requires owners or authorized users of patents, industrial designs, collective marks, marks or copyrights to apply in writing to the Director General to suspend clearance of any suspicious goods.  Once an application is approved, it remains valid for two years. Further details on the documents required to apply can be obtained on this link.

In any foreign market companies should consider several general principles for effective protection of their intellectual property.  For background, please link to our article on Protecting Intellectual Property and Stopfakes.gov for more resources.

IP Contact for Mauritius
Smita Bheenick
4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
Tel: 2024430
Email: bheenicks@state.gov

Prepared by the International Trade Administration. With its network of more than 100 offices across the United States and in more than 75 markets, the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.