Tunisia Trademark Information

Tunisia, officially the Tunisian Republic, is located in northern Africa and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. The population is estimated at 10,432,500 with a GDP of $40.17 billion.

Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in getting the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. BEN ALI is currently serving his fifth consecutive five-year term as president. Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Trademarks are assigned through the National Institute for Standardization and Industrial Property (INNORPI) under the supervision of the Ministry of Industry and Energy and SMEs. Tunisia is not a member of the Madrid Protocol. A trademark is valid for 10 years and may be renewed for further periods of 10 years each.