• Negarit Gazeta - 3. No. 25 - .Hlth May 1995 - Page 222 Where the Commission determines that the appliea­ tion is acceptable, it shall undertake or cause to be undertaken a suhstantive examination of the inven­ tion. Section 4 l ssuance. Contents and Duration of a Patent and Annual Fees 14. Grant of a Patent L A patent shall he granted to an applicant upon Iulfil­ Iment of the requirements of this proclamation and the regulations issued thereunder. 2. ~hen a a) patent is groanted, the Commission shall: publish a reference to the grant of the patent in an Official Gazette; b) issue_to_t1I~appliCl!nLaC~lj:gillatf'lQf~h!LgntnLof the patent and a copy of the patent; c) record the patent; and d) make available copies of the patent to any person on payment of the prescribed fees. 3. The Commission shall, upon request of the owner of the patent, make changes in the text or drawings of the patent in order to limit the extent of the protec­ tion conferred thereby, provided that the change may not result in the disclosure contained in the patent going beyond the disclosure contained in the initial application on the basis of which the patent was grant­ ed. 15. Contents 0/ A Patent The patent shall certify the exclusive rights of the patentee over his invention and contain other particulars prescribed in the regulations. 16. Duration of A Patent A patent shall he granted for an initial period of fifteen years commencing from the filling date of the application for protection. However, the validity of the patent may be extended for a further period of five years provided that proof is furnished that the invention is being properly worked in Ethiopia. 17. Annual Fees 1. In order to maintain the patent or the patent applica­ tion, an annual fee shall be paid in advance to the Commission for each year, starting one year after the filing date of the application for grant of the patent. A period of grace of six months shall be allowed for the late pavment of the annual fee on payment of the prescribed surcharge. 2. If an annual fee is not paid in accordance with the provisions of sub·article (1-) of this article, the patent application shall be deemed to have been withdrawn or the patent shall lapse.