




                   Regional Industrial Property Offices

               There are few regional patent or trademark offices.
          One is the European Patent Office, which examines patent
          applications and issues national patents in those of the
          member countries (currently 14) chosen by the applicant.
          Other regional offices include the English-speaking African
          Industrial Property Office (ARIPO), the French-speaking
          African Intellectual Property Organization (AIPO), and the
          Benelux Trademark and Designs Office (Belgium, Luxembourg
          and the Netherlands).

