A trademark in Cameroon identifies the source of a product, while a service mark in Cameroon identifies the source of a service.
Trademark: A mark used for goods or products. For example, a company might register the name and logo of a specific product.
Collective trademark/service mark: Used by members of a collective to indicate that their products or services originate from the organization and meet its standards.
Service mark: A mark used for services. A restaurant would use a service mark for its name.
RENUNCIATION OF THE REGISTRATION OF A TRADEMARK AND SERVICE MARK IN CAMEROON
The registered owner of a mark may renounce the registration either wholly or in respect of part of the goods or services for which the mark is registered.
Renunciation shall be notified by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to the organization, which shall enter it in the Special Register of Marks and shall publish it.
If a license has been recorded in the Special Register of Marks, renunciation shall be entered only on submission of a declaration by which the license consents to the renunciation, except where the said licensee has expressly waived that right in the license contract.
CANCELLATION OF A REGISTERED TRADEMARK AND SERVICE MARK IN CAMEROON
At the request of any interested party, the court may order the cancellation of any registered mark which, for an uninterrupted period of five years prior to the request, has not been used on the national territory of one of the member states except where the registered owner has legitimate reasons for having failed to use it; the cancellation may be extended to all or part of the goods or services for which the said mark was registered.
INVALIDITY OF A REGISTERED TRADEMARK AND SERVICE MARK IN CAMEROON
The invalidation of the effects on the national territory of the registration of a mark shall be pronounced by the civil courts, at the request either of the office of the Public Prosecutor or of any interested person or professional group.
The invalidity shall be declared by the court if the registration of the mark does not conform to the provision of Articles 2 and 3 of the law or conflicts with a prior right. In the later case, invalidation may only be pronounced at the request of the owner of the prior right.
RESTORATION OF A TRADEMARK AND SERVICE MARK IN CAMEROON
Where the protection conferred by a registered mark has not been renewed owing to circumstances beyond the control of the owner of the mark, the owner or entitled persons may apply for its restoration against payment of the requisite renewal fee and of a surcharge the amount of which shall be fixed by regulation, within a period of six months from the date on which the said circumstances ceased to exist, and at the latest within a period of two years from the date on which renewal was due.