Newsletter - Latin America IP SME Helpdesk

For a company to be competitive in the market and achieve its business objectives, its valuable intangible assets– such as confidential information– must be protected. The Latin America IP SME Helpdesk team recently published a new blog post delving deeper into the Non-Disclosure Agreements in Brazil. Enjoy the read!

The European Commission (EC) recently published its biennial Report on the “Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in third countries” which identifies so-called ‘priority countries’ in which the state of IPR protection and enforcement is a source of major concern. The report finds that some of the Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador remain as priority 3 for the European Union (EU).

The Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) recently released its action plan for the years 2023-2026. The automation of the patent flow, the review of trademark examination procedures, the quality of examination compliance and putting Hague Agreement into operation are the topics included in the strategic plan.

Representatives from the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) met this year to consider extending ongoing measures by strengthening technical cooperation between the two organisations. In addition to exchanging general information, the Hague Agreement, Madrid Protocol, and other initiatives in diversity and equality were also part of the discussion.

TMclass is an administrative tool designed by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to help the user know where a product or service (term) can be classified before registering a trademark. As of 8th May 2023, the Paraguayan National Directorate of Intellectual Property (DINAPI) has implemented the TMclass system. DINAPI will use and accept the terms from the alphabetical list of Nice in TMclass (in Spanish).

The Dublin Tech Summit (DTS) is a two-day conference at the heart of the international tech scene gathering the global community of innovators and tech leaders. The Latin America IP SME Helpdesk team will take part in the event to meet participants who would like to learn more about intellectual property (IP) protection and management in Latin American countries.

Joining forces with the State of Bavaria Office for South America and AHK Chile, Latin America IP SME Helpdesk team organizes a new webinar "Business Opportunities & Intellectual Property in South America". This webinar will provide insights into the economic challenges and opportunities in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru, as well as their particularities in terms of intellectual property (IP).

The EBN Congress unites people around the potential of scientific breakthroughs, entrepreneurship and company creation to drive sustainable economic development and greater well-being in Europe and beyond. Our team will join this largest gathering of European incubators, accelerators, science parks, innovation centres, and innovation supporters to SMEs that operate or intend to access the Latin American market and look to improve their global competitiveness.

Expo Hotel has established itself as the most anticipated International Business Forum in the HORECA sector. As Latin America IP SME Helpdesk Team, we look forward to meeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups at the event and introducing our free-of-charge services on intellectual property (IP) protection as well as enforcement in Latin America.

Trade fairs are becoming constantly challenging since we live on a time for innovation and new technologies but also fraud and counterfeiting. In this training session, our expert speakers will provide insight into the importance of intellectual property (IP) protection at trade fairs and what to do in case of infringement in the target market. Participants will also hear about how best practices are developed, how to choose the right strategy and the ways of identifying risks before they occur.

Torino Fashion Match is an international event of bilateral meetings supporting businesses to innovate and grow internationally. The event is an excellent forum for SMEs and start-ups who want to generate new business opportunities in the fashion and textile industry. Joining forces with the experts from the India IP SME Helpdesk and Africa IP SME Helpdesk, the Latin America IP SME Helpdesk will explain the importance of IP protection in this sector during a dedicated training session "Intellectual Property Rights in Fashion and the Creative Industry". The team will also be present at matchmaking sessions to answer related questions.