The OAPI, whose headquarters are in Yaoundé (Cameroon), is the industrial property office common to all its seventeen (17) member states. In these states, the applicable legislation on intellectual property is unique: the Bangui agreement.
The OAPI centralizes all the procedures for delivering industrial property securities which are valid in all member countries. Any deposit made to the administration of one of the member states or the organization has the value of national deposit in each Member State.
There are therefore no national protection systems that coexist with the regional system.
The sanctions for industrial property rights breaches are the responsibility of the courts of each Member State.
Definitive judicial decisions, rendered on the validity of titles in one of the member states, are authoritative in all other states, except those based on public order and morality.
The collective management of copyright and neighboring rights is entrusted to collective copyright management organizations in member states.
