Newsletter - Latin America IP SME Helpdesk

Our new factograph delves into main intellectual property particularities in Bolivia.

Take a look at our new factograph to learn more about the main intellectual property particularities in Colombia!

In addition to IP Country factsheet, we have now a new factograph available providing insights into the intellectual property system in Cuba.

The Latin America IP SME Helpdesk team published a new factograph that explores the key intellectual property features in Costa Rica.

In August, Uruguay's parliament approved accession to the Budapest Treaty, which has been in force since 1977 and includes 87 countries such as Chile, Colombia and Peru.The main feature of the Treaty is that if a contracting state requires or allows the deposit of micro-organisms for patent procedures, it must accept a deposit made with any "international depositary authority". This applies whether the authority is located within or outside the territory of the State.

In July 2024, El Salvador's Legislative Assembly approved a new intellectual property (IP) law to replace the 1993 law. The new IP law aims to protect intellectual property rights, encourage innovation, and promote economic development. Key changes include expanded protection for trade secrets, plant varieties, and traditional knowledge, and more efficient procedures for registering trademarks, patents and copyright.

On 1 August 2024, Brazil's National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) optimised the examination process for industrial designs by allowing the applicant's declaration of truthfulness. Additionally, INPI has announced that from August 2024 the Trademark Manual will be updated continuously, with the date of the last update instead of the edition number. Moreover, the Legal Framework for the Electronic Games Industry (Law 14.852/24) entered into force in Brazil, amending the national Industrial Property Law to include the registration of electronic games as a form of IP rights protection.

As of September 16, 2024, the Dominican Republic's National Industrial Property Office (ONAPI) has joined the TMview that is a trademark search tool. This move adds over 298,000 Dominican trademarks to the TMview’s database, which now holds more than 125 million trademarks from 78 offices globally​.

The Latin America IP SME Helpdesk will participate in the 2024 editions of the Feria Internacional Industrial de Bogotá (FIB) and its parallel event ColombiaPlast. Both trade fairs are taking place at CORFERIAS Exhibition Center, in Bogotá, Colombia. The team will participate with one representative, to meet with European SMEs and stakeholders, to promote the EU funded services on IP protection & management in Latin America and Colombia.

SIDO is a matchmaking event and open to all type of companies and research and development (R&D) institutions. It will provide participants a unique opportunity to meet with key players working on the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence; Robotics solutions and mixed/augmented/virtual reality. On 23-28 September, the Latin America IP SME Helpdesk team virtually participate in the event and answer any intellectual property related questions.

Latin America IP SME Helpdesk jointly organizes with ICEX an in-person training with the objective of providing participants with a deep understanding of the key aspects of Intellectual Property (IP) protection in the context of international trade. We will address the importance of safeguarding IP rights in global markets, current international regulations, as well as strategies to manage, protect and enforce these rights in Colombia.

Joining forces with the EIT Urban Mobility's funded Scale-up Programme, we are organising a new webinar which focuses on strategies for protecting intellectual property (IP) in the mobility sector across global markets. This session will provide insights into global perspectives on IP protection, practical approaches to innovation security, and legal considerations specific to the industry.

Go International is the reference exhibition event for export services aimed to connect demand and the offer of services to support exports and internationalisation. The Latin America IP SME Helpdesk will be present at the event to answer intellectual property related queries from small and medium enterprises and start-ups.