Article 29: Amendment and division of the application
Until such time as it is observed that the application meets the requirements for the grant of
the patent, the applicant may amend the application, but the amendment may go beyond the
disclosure as it appears in the original application.
Until such time as it is observed that the application meets the requirements for the grant of
the patent, the applicant may divide the application into more than one application, known as
“divisional applications”, but no divisional application may go beyond the disclosure as it
appears in the original application. Each divisional application shall enjoy the filing date and,
where appropriate, the priority date of the original application.
Article 30: Right of priority
The application may contain a declaration in which is claimed, in accordance with Paris
Convention or a bilateral, regional, or multilateral convention to which the Republic of
Rwanda is party, priority for one or more previous national, regional or international
applications, filed by the applicant or by his legal predecessor in one, or for any, State party to
Paris Convention and/or World Trade Organization or party to the applicable convention.
Consequently, the filing in Rwanda of that application before the expiration of the period of
priority shall not be invalidated by reason of any acts accomplished in the interval, in
particular, another filing, the publication or exploitation of the invention, and such acts cannot
give rise to any third-party right or any right of personal possession.
The period of priority under paragraph (1) of this article is of twelve (12) months for any State
party to Paris Convention and/or member of World Trade Organization.
Where the application contains the declaration claiming priority, the empowered authority
may request the applicant to supply him, within the prescribed time limit, with a copy of the
previous application, certified as true by the Industrial Property Authority with which it has
been filed, together with the translation of this application where necessary. The empowered
authority shall accept the form and the content of the certification mentioned as determined by
the certifying authority.
The declaration claiming priority shall indicate the date and number of the previous
application as well as the State(s) where it has been filed. The effect of said declaration shall
be that provided for by the Paris Convention or any other applicable convention.
If the empowered authority observes that the requirements provided for in this article and the
related administrative regulations have not been satisfied, said declaration shall be considered
not to have been filed.
Article 31: Information relating to corresponding foreign applications
The applicant shall indicate to the empowered authority the date and number of any patent
application or other title of protection filed by him or by his legal predecessor abroad, known
as “foreign application”, and which relates to the same invention, or essentially to the same
invention, as that which is claimed in the application filed in Rwanda.