photographic works; including works made by means similar to photographic process;
works of applied art like as handicraft works or works produced by industrial process. Thus, protection
of industrial designs is granted by the provisions of this Law relating to industrial designs;
illustrations, maps, plans, sketches and three-dimensional works relating to geography, topography,
architecture or science;
works deriving from Rwanda national folklore.
Subject to contrary provisions of the Law, the economic rights for copyright are protected during the life of the
author and for fifty years (50) after his or her death.
The original owner of moral and economic rights is the author who has created the work. They have a number
of specific rights under this ownership, including:
Subject to limitations mentioned by the provisions of this Law, the author of the work shall have the exclusive
right to carry out or to authorize the following acts in relation to the work:
1. reproduction of the work;
2. translation of the work;
3. adaptation, arrangement or other transformation of the work;
4. rental of the original or a copy of an audiovisual work, a work embodied in a phonogram or a computer
program;
5. communication to the public of the work by communication to the public of the work by distribution of
the original or a copy of the work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership;
6. public performance of the work;
7. communication to the public of the work by broadcasting; and
8. communication to the public of the work by wire or any other means.
Patents of invention
An invention is patentable if it is novel (i.e. there is no prior art anywhere in the world), if it involves an
inventive step (i.e. it is not obvious) and if it is industrially applicable.
The right to a patent belongs to the inventor. However, where the right to the patent is owned by an employer as
part of a labor contract, the inventor is entitled to equitable remuneration taking into account the economic
value of his invention.
In a patent application, the inventor must disclose his invention in a clearly, sufficient and intelligible manner
and specify the scope of the desired protection. The invention must enrich existing technical knowledge.
The examination of applications shall begin with the allocation of a filing date. The filing date is very decisive
in terms of evaluating novelty and serves as a basis for the priority claim. A patent is granted if the application
meets the formal requirements. No substantive examination is carried out since this is a very complicated
technical exercise that occurs in a limited number of developed countries. This Law provides for the revocation
of a patent by the courts if the patent is granted while the invention does not meet the substantive requirements.
The patent grants the owner the exclusive right to use the patented invention throughout the territory of the
Republic of Rwanda. Use without the consent of the owner constitutes an infringement and is punished by the
courts. This right is very important since it allows the patent owner to obtain material benefits which thus
reward his intellectual efforts and the investments made in the search to carry out the invention.
In certain cases, this law sets limits to the rights granted, including “the exhaustion of rights”. The exhaustion of
rights guarantees the free movement of goods. Each WTO member State is free to determine the level of the
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