Reunion Island Trademark Information

Réunion is a French island of about 800,000 population located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. The population is estimated at 827,000 with a GDP of $18.91 billion.

Arab sailors formerly called the island Dina Morgabin (“The Western Island”). The Portuguese are thought to have been the first European visitors, finding it uninhabited in 1635, and naming it after Saint Apollonia. The island was then occupied by France and administered from Port Louis, Mauritius. Although the French flag was hoisted by François Cauche in 1638, Santa Apollonia was officially claimed by Jacques Pronis of France in 1642, when he deported a dozen French mutineers to the island from Madagascar. The convicts were returned to France several years later, and in 1649, the island was named Île Bourbon after the royal house. Colonization started in 1665, when the French East India Company sent the first 20 settlers.

Trademarks are assigned through the National Institute of Industrial Property. Réunion is a member of the Madrid Protocol and trademark registration and enforcement is controlled by France. A trademark is valid for 10 years and may be renewed for further periods of 10 years each.