Traditional Knowledge Laws: Panama

Scope of Protection

Article 91  

The following can not be registered as trademarks or elements thereof:

18. The words, letters, characters or symbols which are used by the Indian or religious communities or nonprofit organizations, to distinguish the manner of processing the products, the finished products or services, as well as those which constitute the expression of their cult or custom, idiosyncrasy or religious practice, except then the application be made for the benefit of one of the communities or associations to which this numeral refers;

Article 146 

The following cannot be registered as commercial names, or as any part of them:

The words, letters, characters or symbols which are used by native or religious communities or by non-profit associations, to identify the manner in which they process products or to distinguish finished products or services, or those which represent the expression of their cult or custom, idiosyncrasy or religious practice, unless the application be made for its own benefit by one of the communities or associations to which this article refers.