European patents in Morocco from March 2015

Starting on 1 March 2015, anyone filing a European patent application will be able to request validation for Morocco. European applications and patents validated for Morocco will have the same legal effects there as Moroccan ones and will be subject to Moroccan patent law.

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

With Morocco included, patent protection can be obtained simultaneously for 41 countries with a single European patent application.

Previously, Tunisia has signed a similar agreement with the EPO. However, this agreement needs to be ratified before it can enter into force.