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 or World Trade Organization or party to the applicable convention. The filing in Rwanda of that application before the expiration of the periods referred to in paragraph (2) of this article shall not be invalidated by reason of any acts accomplished in the interval, in particular, another filing, the publication or exploitation of the invention of utility model, and such acts cannot give rise to any third–party right or any right of personal possession of utility model. The period of priority under paragraph (1) of this article is of twelve (12) months 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 declaration claiming priority has not been satisfied the requirements provided for in this article and the related administrative Regulations, said declaration shall be considered not to have been filed. Article 72: Information relating to corresponding foreign applications The applicant shall indicate to the empowered authority the date and number of any patent of utility model application or other title of protection filed by him or by his legal predecessor abroad “foreign application” and which relates to the same invention of utility model, or essentially to the same invention of utility model, as that which is claimed in the application filed in Rwanda. In order to facilitate the evaluation of novelty and inventive step as regards the claimed invention, the applicant shall supply the empowered authority with the following documents relating to one of the foreign applications referred to in paragraph (1) of this article: 1° a copy of any communication received by the applicant concerning the results of any search or examination carried out in relation to the foreign application; 2° a certified or ordinary copy of the patent of utility model or other title of protection granted on the basis of the foreign application; 3° a copy of any communication rejecting the foreign application or refusing the grant a patent of utility model. The applicant shall furnish the empowered authority with a copy of any final decision