Aruba Trademark Information

Aruba is an island of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea, located off the coast of Venezuela, in a group with Bonaire and Curacao known as the "ABC islands". The population is estimated at 103,000 and the GDP is $2.4 billion.

Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.

Trademarks are assigned by the Bureau of Intellectual Property. Aruba is not a party of the Madrid Protocol. A trademark is valid for 10 years and is renewable indefinitely every 10 year period.

If the applicant is established outside Aruba, they must choose domicile in Aruba at the office of a recognized trademark agent.

The following may not be registered as Trademarks in Aruba:

• Words or illustrations contrary to morality or public order.
  Note: A mark contrary to morality may be a mark containing an obscene picture, and contrary to public order when it is offensive to religious sensitivities, to law enforcement or to a nation's safety.
• Coat of arms, flags or other state emblems, or any imitation thereof in the heraldic point of view, of a state-member to the Paris Union, nor the coats of arms or any slight alteration thereof of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and /or any part of said Kingdom, including the one of a public entity established therein
• Official marks or stamps for control or guarantee, including any imitation thereof from a heraldic point of view, used by states-members to the Paris Convention for same or equivalent kind of goods or services.
• Names, the abbreviations thereof, and emblems, or slight alterations thereof, of recognized international organizations, or parts thereof.