JuriSTEP INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW PREAMBLE Whereas it is necessary to provide Sao Tome and Principe with a legal framework to protect the intellectual property; Considering the conditions for implementing new techniques in Sao Tome and Principe and adapting the existing techniques to the country needs, and the access to foreign techniques, it is necessary: I) A legal and administrative framework that encourages the inventive spirit of the Santomeans, promotes the investments in every sectors that use inventions, and that allow the evaluation, the selection and the acquisition in reasonable conditions, and to absorb of the foreign techniques, as well as its adaptation to the needs of Sao Tome and Principe; II) A competent Administration that enforces an effective policy in the domain of intellectual property and that it is endowed with necessary financial resources for the enforcement of such policy provided by an approved system of duties; III) International and intergovernmental cooperation, especially in the areas of investigation, of the examination and of the documentation; Whereas the protection of inventions is a very important element of that legal and administrative framework, as it encourages the invention spirit, stimulates the investigation and investment, and makes possible the creation of industry and the development of the agriculture; Whereas the need to encourage and to stimulate the national innovation and benefit the national inventive activity; Whereas the need to promote Sao Tome and Principe in the international trade, facilitating the commercial relationships and protecting the consumer against any confusion regarding products, services or companies; Considering that, to promote the national and international trade against confusion and fraud, it is convenient to protect and regulate efficiently the trade marks, the tradenames, the indications of source and of origin, and to efficiently punish the unfair competition; Recognizing the need to stimulate and to protect Santomenean craft industries; Recognizing also the need to encourage the development of the profession of agent of intellectual property; Considering beyond any doubt that the rights granted to protect the inventions should have as compensation above all the obligation of appropriate exploration of the inventions patented in Sao Tome and Principe and the use of the trade marks and of the tradenames in a way to 2