"Latin America IP SME Helpdesk - Newsletter" Newsletter Issues

PERU - IP Country Factsheet (12/08/2022)

Even though intellectual property legislation enjoys a certain degree of international harmonisation, there are some differences in legislation between Peru and the EU. This Factsheet aims to explain the differences concerning copyright, patents, industrial designs, trade marks, geographical indications and appellations of origin.

COLOMBIA - IP Country Factsheet (12/08/2022)

Colombia is signatory to the main international conventions and agreements; it is a Member of the Paris Convention and a Member of the World Trade Organization. In addition, the country is signatory to some of the most relevant treaties managed by WIPO, such as the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the Madrid Protocol and the Global Patent Prosecution Program, agreements that ease the international registration of IPRs.

MEXICAN CUSTOMS SYSTEM: What a brand owner should not forget when exporting to Mexico (12/08/2022)

Most of the pirated products distributed and sold in Mexico come from abroad. Hence, when they enter the country, each custom authority is the first filter the goods go through as well as the best chance to prevent the entrance of those pirated products and their spread to the local physical markets. This document intends to provide a better understanding of the relationship between IPRs and the Mexican Customs System. In addition, it provides information about a range of IP administrative measures that EU SMEs can use to protect and enforce their IPRs.

CASE STUDY - Industrial designs in Argentina (12/08/2022)

In Argentina, as in many other countries, an industrial design must be new to be registered. Do not reveal your creations before protecting them. If the design was disclosed at a fair or exhibition, it is subject to protection provided the application is filed within 6 months from the date on which the fair or the exhibition took place.

BIOFACH / VIVANESS 2022 (27/07/2022)

BIOFACH 2022 and VIVANESS 2022 are two important business events for the natural and organic food and cosmetic sectors that will take place in Nuremberg, from 26 to 29 July. If you are interested in making business in Latin America, do not miss the chance to register and participate; our representatives will be present at the event to share important and useful information about the project, as well as about our free EU-funded services for the management & protection of Intellectual Property rights in Latin America.

VIDEO - How to register a patent in Latin America (26/07/2022)

This animated video provides quick answers to some basic questions about patents: WHAT is a patent and WHY, WHEN and HOW to protect it in Latin American countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay or Venezuela.

FACTSHEET - How to register your patent in Mexico (26/07/2022)

The Mexican Institute of Industrial Property is the Mexican IP Office in charge of applications and registrations of patents and utility models (a kind of petty patents, protecting creations the inventiveness of which is not examined). If you consider protecting your invention in Mexico, you might find this Factsheet very useful, with updated information regarding patent applications and proceedings in this country.

Peru to deposit its accession to five WIPO treaties (26/07/2022)

During the last assembly of the Member States of the WIPO, the president of INDECOPI announced that Peru is willing to advance regarding intellectual property matters to fight against piracy. Thus, Peru will deposit its accession to five treaties that are administered by WIPO, including the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement. The Lisbon Agreement, and its latest revision, the Geneva Act of 2015, provide for the international protection of appellations of origin and geographical indications through a single procedure with WIPO.

INAPI updates patent examination guidelines in Chile (26/07/2022)

INAPI has provided users with two documents updating information on the guidelines of patents, utility models and designs, taking into account the recent entry into force of Law 21.355 that modified the industrial property system in Chile. One of the most relevant changes is that the new guidelines are divided into two: one oriented to the examination of patent applications for inventions and utility models, and the second dedicated exclusively to industrial designs and drawings.

INPI Brazil and the EUIPO sign a MoU for cooperation (21/06/2022)

The meeting also addressed the implementation of the new AL-INVEST project, which seeks to achieve greater use and effectiveness of IP rights, particularly in Mercosur countries, to boost research cooperation opportunities and stimulate competitiveness and innovation within a framework of sustainable development, including “green” innovation.

Trade secrets in Brazil (21/06/2022)

Most companies use secrecy to protect their intangibles from competitors. Lists of customers, the secret ingredient of a recipe, the optimum proportion of a mixture or certain techniques implemented by employees are examples of trade secrets. The Brazilian law does not have a specific definition for trade secrets. The former Brazilian IP law made a generic reference to ‘confidential business information’ and ‘confidential industrial information’ while the current IP law broadened the definition of confidential information to include ‘confidential knowledge, information or data, usable in industry, commerce or the provision of services’.

How to conduct a trade mark search in Brazil (21/06/2022)

In Brazil, trade marks are territorial, which means that distinctive signs are only protected after being successfully registered before the Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI). Before operating in the Brazilian market, and especially before registering a trade mark in the country, we recommend that you check specialised databases in order to ensure that the trade mark you are intending to use or register in the relevant territory is available. Failure to do so may lead to trade mark infringement or rejection of a trade mark application due to a pre-existing similar trade mark.

Exportbeurs 2022 - Flanders Investment & Trade (21/06/2022)

From Tuesday 21st June to Thursday 23rd June 2022, the 4th Export Fair of Flanders Investment & Trade will once again take place live in Hall 1 of Brussels Expo. The representatives of the Latin America IP SME Helpdesk will be present during the event to meet EU SMEs and present our project and free services to boost internationalisation as well as for IP management & protection.

IP in the fashion industry in Latin America and India (08/07/2022)

The training ''IP in the fashion industry in Latin America and India'' is organised and carried out jointly with the India IP SME Helpdesk, and will take place the next 8th of July, at 16.30, during the free-of-charge matchmaking event B2WORTH@TorinoFashionMatch 2022 (7-9 July 2022). This event will gather companies, buyers, retailers, suppliers, experts and investors dealing with the TEXTILE|FASHION|DESIGN sectors from a large number of European countries.

Brazilian Parlasul commission approves Agreement for the Mutual Protection of GIs (21/06/2022)

The agreement focuses on the cooperation between member countries to preserve their geographical identities, which are intellectual property markers that demonstrate the origin and certify the quality of products. For instance, this agreement forbids geographical indications from being registered as trade marks, unless the trade mark was applied before the mutual protection.

Free From Food Barcelona 2022 (06/06/2022)

In this matchmaking event you will meet with potential business partners from all over the world. Register today and find your potential business partner! Participation is free of charge upon pre-registration. Our IP experts will attend the whole event, presenting and promoting our project and services of IP management and protection in Latin America to EU SMEs.

EVENT IN SPANISH: Rueda Virtual de Negocios Centroamérica - Unión Europea 2022 (30/05/2022)

This event, organised by the Central American Trade Network (REDCA), provides an important regional platform for trade information and intelligence developed by the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), through the Centre for Economic Integration Studies (CEIE). The Latin America IP SME Helpdesk will be present throughout the event to promote Intellectual Property management and protection services to SMEs in the European Union.

Madrid designation certificates available now at INPI Brazil (24/05/2022)

INPI Brazil launched trade mark registration certificates for those processes that designated Brazil through the Madrid Protocol, available to users. To access said certificates, users must log into the "Busca Web" system. The document will be available in the publications section, and the download icon to the file will appear on the line referring to the “Grant of registration under the designation” order.

WEBINAR IN SPANISH: Propiedad Intelectual para PyMEs: de Europa a México sin sorpresas (31/05/2022)

In this webinar on Intellectual Property in Mexico, especially addressed to European SMEs, we will learn how to avoid having your goods stopped at the border as counterfeit, how to prevent the legal commercialisation of your technology in this Latin American country, as well as the main characteristics of trade marks, industrial designs, patents, copyrights and trade secrets.

Technology & Business Cooperation Days 2022 (30/05/2022)

The Hannover Messe 2022 will mainly focus on Industry 4.0 and smart-factory solutions, resource- and energy-efficient manufacturing technologies, sustainable energy & mobility and measurement tools. A representative of the Latin America IP SME Helpdesk will be present during the event, presenting our project and free service of IP management and protection in Latin American markets to EU SMEs.

INAPI Chile new guide for processing trade marks and patents under the new IP Law (24/05/2022)

INAPI Chile has published a new IP guide on the processing of Intellectual Property Rights at the Chilean institution. The user guide contains a manual explaining step by step the use of the INAPI digital platform. From the creation of an account to the access to electronic notifications, the content of the guide is updated and incorporates the changes introduced by the new Chilean IP law, which entered into force on May 9th, 2022.

Cosmetic industry in Latin America: the of role Intellectual Property in your business' success (12/05/2022)

Join us in the webinar organised by Global Cosmetics Cluster-Europe and the Latin America IP SME Helpdesk to learn about the peculiarities of Mexico in terms of Intellectual Property as well as how to make a lucrative business tool out of this throughout the process (from creation to sale, through production and distribution).

WEBINAR IN PORTUGUESE: Nomes de domínio na América Latina: o que fazer para proteger sua marca online (04/05/2022)

To help European SMEs avoid this kind of problems, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Latin America IP SME Helpdesk are organising a webinar on domain names in which you will find out about the most recurrent bad practices (e.g. typosquatting and other frauds), as well as how to fight and prevent them.

Agri-Food Industry – How to successfully grow your business using IP? (10/05/2022)

This webinar will provide European SMEs with an overview of the relevance of each IPR for the sector (including trade marks, patents, industrial design, copyright, plant varieties and more) as well as software protection and other relevant IP clauses, with special focus on the most remarkable particularities of Africa, China, India, Latin America and South-East Asia.

How youth can protect their IP in India, Latin America, South-East Asia, China and Africa (27/04/2022)

As part of our dissemination efforts during World IP Day 2022, we have published a special blog post with some tips on how young EU entrepreneurs can protect their IP in Latin America and throughout the world. Check it out!

Argentina's new labeling requirements in the food and beverage sector (27/04/2022)

Argentina, with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) criteria, has just passed a new Law establishing the incorporation of warnings on the front-of-package of containers and regulating the marketing, promotion, sponsorship, and the offer of products with excess sugars, fats, and sodium in schools. The new standard establishes the inclusion of black octagons with white borders and letters that provide warnings about excess sugars, total fats, saturated fats, sodium, and calories.

New EUIPO and EUROPOL's report on IP Crime (27/04/2022)

EUIPO and EUROPOL have just jointly produced a new report on the "Intellectual property crime threat assessment 2022". This report casts new light on the scope, magnitude and trends in counterfeiting and piracy in the EU. According to the report, the majority of counterfeit goods come from Turkey or China. Notwithstanding that, some countries in Latin America are also mentioned within the top territories of the provenance of counterfeit goods entering the EU, e.g. Argentina (toy sector) and Panama (food and beverage sector).

Intellectual Property: the backbone of today's business (03/05/2022)

This seminar is a great opportunity for all young innovators, especially women, who wish to translate their ideas into valuable products and services distributed into the market so as to learn how they can use the IP system to build a strong business, protect their innovations and turn them into bankable IP assets.

Cosmetic industry in Latin America: the of role Intellectual Property in your business' success (12/04/2022)

Join us in the webinar organised by Global Cosmetics Cluster-Europe and Latin America IP SME Helpdesk to learn about the peculiarities of Mexico in terms of Intellectual Property, and learn how to transform this into a lucrative business tool throughout the process (from creation to sale, through production and distribution). In addition, we will learn more about EU-funded initiatives supporting SMEs' internationalisation to Latin America and our expert in intellectual property will answer all your questions.

IPR issues of collaborative economy platforms in Latin America (28/03/2022)

This factsheet focuses on a particular category of online platforms that are especially attractive to SMEs: collaborative economy platforms. In 2016, the European Commission defined these platforms in its “European agenda for the collaborative economy”, as open marketplaces for the temporary usage of goods or services often provided by individuals or professionals.

IP rights in Chile: a practical approach for European SMEs (05/04/2022)

AHK Chile and the State of Bavaria Office for South America in collaboration with the Latin America IP SME Helpdesk will host a webinar for EU SMEs interested in doing business or entering R&DT collaborative relationships in Chile. The main issues concerning the protection of Intellectual Property to bear in mind when internationalising a business will be explained. Special attention will be then given to the idiosyncrasies of IP protection in Chile in comparison to those of Europe.

Liability of internet intermediaries for the sale of counterfeit products in Peru (28/03/2022)

Mercadodepulgas is a successful Spanish start-up that runs an online platform where users can buy and sell second-hand products. Sofas, bikes, electronic devices and the like are exchanged in the platform. This IP case study highlights the lessons learned by this start-up when expanding their business to the Peruvian market.

Brazil and France sign a PPH and IP cooperation agreements (28/03/2022)

Both INPI Brazil and INPI France have signed 2 memoranda of understanding: 1 cooperation agreement in Industrial Property (including the exchange of information and good practices in the development of IP protection systems, stimulation of innovation, management, finance and quality), and a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot project between both INPIs (from May 1st, 2022). The PPH allow users to benefit from an effective reduction in patent pendency by shortening the examination process.

EU Commission's new Handbook on the food and beverage market entry in Mexico (28/03/2022)

The EU Commission has just published an update to its document: "The food and beverage market handbook, Mexico: A practical guide to the market in Mexico for European agri-food products and products with geographical indications". This Handbook is intended to act as a reference for those agri-food producers planning for, or in the process of, entering the Mexican market.

Main IP barriers when doing business in Latin America (28/03/2022)

European SMEs are too often fooled into believing that EU-based IPR registration on its own protects them worldwide, or they take for granted the fact that ownership is ensured. Moreover, they usually ignore the real costs involved in proper protection or how and where to register, among others. As a result, they either adopt poor IP strategies or they directly prefer not to adopt them at all. Check out our last video to know more about IP barriers when doing business in Latin America.

EUIPO IP Enforcement Portal: keep infringements under control (21/02/2022)

SMEs, innovators and entrepreneurs have a new tool at hand to control potential infringements of their IP rights thanks to the new IP Enforcement Portal. Would you like to know what it consists of and the new features implemented?

EU Industry Days: the resilience of EU SMEs in the green and digital sectors (22/02/2022)

In our latest blog post we presented a recap of our participation in the EU Industry Days, an annual event highlighting industrial frontrunners, ongoing industrial policy discussions and the improvement in the European industry knowledge base. This is the main platform to discuss industry challenges and co-develop opportunities and policy responses through an inclusive dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders.

EUROPA GLOBAL: "Proyectos que ayudan a la internacionalización más allá de los mercados europeos" (03/03/2022)

In this seminar (offered in Spanish) you will learn how to access a wide variety of free, practical and professional services that will boost your internationalisation to key markets such as Latin America, China and India. The seminar will offer a response both to companies focused on the export of goods and services as well as to those interested in technology transfer to other markets.

Safe digitalisation through Intellectual Property: from Europe to the world (24/02/2022)

Join our webinar, organised by CEIPI, the EU-Japan Technology Transfer Helpdesk and the International IP SME Heldpdesk, and retrace the path a company followed to digitise its business safely, thanks to a correct identification of Intellectual Property-related aspects (i.e. software, design, and –mainly– patents), including how to avoid infringing the rights of others and protect your innovation to get the most out of it.

GLOBAL EUROPE: EU funded projects supporting businesses to look beyond the EU and internationalise (17/03/2022)

This Global Europe webinar supports EU SME, businesses and organisations in leaving their mark in global markets. This webinar is organised by EUROCHAMBRES in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, as well as the Latin America IP SME Helpdesk and the EU SME Centre (China).

MWC Open Innovation Challenge 2022 - B2B hybrid event (01/03/2022)

MWC Open Innovation Challenge 2022 is an annual B2B international meeting event housing all agents of the innovation ecosystem: corporations, investors and solution/technology providers. Attendance is free of charge, accessible via the online B2B platform. The Latin America IP SME Helpdesk will be present during the event for consultation and questions related to IP in Latin America. Do not hesitate to book a meeting with us!

Best Practices when Registering a Trade Mark in Latin America (22/02/2022)

If you are in the process of expanding your business to Latin America, you should take into account the following useful advice regarding some issues concerning the registration of your trade mark abroad so as to succeed in your endeavors.

IP and the Circular Economy in Latin America (22/02/2022)

Circular economy is directly related to intellectual property: it links sustainability and technological development based on a regenerative mindset through sustainable public policies and it increases the efficiency and development of new business models. The regulatory bodies for intellectual property around the world work faster when it comes to creations that benefit the environmental well-being and use regenerative input practices.

Register and protect your Intellectual Property in Brazil (24/01/2022)

How do I protect my trade mark? What are the steps to register a patent? Can I extend the protection of my EU trade mark, design, or patent to Brazil? Do I need to register my copyright to obtain protection in Brazil? These are some of the most recurrent questions we receive at our Helpline service. However, if you do not know where to start, check out our latest post featuring some of our materials about IP in Brazil.

EU FashionMatch Amsterdam 11.0 @Modefabriek (30/01/2022)

The Latin America Consultation Day is an event organised by WKO, especially designed for Austrian SMEs seeking opportunities in the Latin American market. The Latin America IP SME Helpdesk will be present and available during the event to meet EU SMEs potentially interested in finding out how to best protect their intellectual property rights in the different Latin American countries.

IP in the Renewable Energy Sector (24/01/2022)

Renewable energies have experienced an important boost during the last decade and both private companies and public bodies have dramatically increased their investments. Latin America has not been an exception to these trends and has now become a very attractive market in which to develop RE (renewable energy)-related businesses. However, energy markets in Latin America tend to be highly regulated and vary significantly from country to country. Therefore, if you are planning to enter a RE market, you should take into account the legal framework applicable to this specific sector for each territory.

Latin America Consultation Day 2022 (01/02/2022)

The Latin America Consulting Day is an event organised by WKO and especially designed for Austrian SMEs seeking opportunities in the Latin American market. The Latin America IP SME Helpdesk will be present and available during the event to meet EU SMEs potentially interested in finding out how to best protect their intellectual property rights in the different Latin American countries.

Managing your IP in the Medical Device Sector: Latin America vs. Europe comparison for EU SMEs (28/01/2022)

Join us during the Health Tech Hub Styria Pitch & Partners event to learn more about the issues concerning the protection of intellectual property when internationalising a business into Latin American countries.

Healthcare Sector in Latin America (24/01/2022)

The Latin American healthcare market is growing in the pharmaceutical industry, which can be seen through the increase in medical equipment, devices and consumables. Out of the top 10 emerging markets, 4 are in Latin America. In 2019, the region was seen as an emerging market due to the growth of the middle class, as well as the positive demographic trends and the self-paid nature of primary healthcare. In order to make the most out of the business opportunities in the region, foreign entrepreneurs need to identify and look into the unmet needs of the region, creating products and services that will provide an added value to the healthcare market.

Our best wishes for the upcoming year (20/12/2021)

The Latin America IP SME Helpdesk team would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a good start into a healthy and successful New Year. We'll be back in January with more IP updates, resources and training events in 2022. Stay safe and enjoy the holiday season!

2021: The year in review (20/12/2021)

With this article, we are saying goodbye to this very special year. Before the Christmas celebrations begin, now is the right time to take stock of the biggest news that we have covered for you throughout 2021 regarding Intellectual Property in Latin America.

Intellectual Property in Latin America: healthcare sector (20/01/2022)

The healthcare sector is a highly innovative and challenging industry where ground-breaking products and technologies need to stay ahead of the competition. Research and development efforts made for pharmaceutical products, medical technologies, equipment and devices help avoid unlawful copying, misappropriation or even the loss of the right. In order to be protected against these, different IP rights or mechanisms are needed, such as patents, trade secrets or industrial designs. This webinar, organised by Enrich in LAC in cooperation with the Latin America IP SME Helpdesk, will provide those EU SMEs interested in internationalising to Latin America with an overview of the most important IP tools in the sector.

Succeed in Latin America : what can intellectual property do for my business? (20/12/2021)

The Intellectual Property system arises as an opportunity to turn those innovative ideas, creative designs and other intangible assets into valuable business assets, which can be transferred, licensed or used as collateral to obtain financing, as we will see throughout this guide.

Identifying your Intellectual Property assets (20/12/2021)

IPR-intensive industries account for most of the EU trade worldwide and generate a trade surplus for the EU economy. Therefore, it is vital for those EU businesses considering to operate or already operating in Latin America to design an appropriate identification and managing strategy to fully benefit from the exploitation of their IP assets. This guide will help you better understand the relevance of IPRs and it will provide some useful tips on how to implement an IP identification and management strategy.

The main challenges when applying for a patent in Argentina for EU SMEs (25/11/2021)

If you are an EU SME trying to internationalise to Argentina, we propose to you in this article an updated analysis of the Argentinian Patent system. Knowing the advantages and challenges when applying for a patent in Argentina will be very useful to you, if you wish to embark on a new path towards this Latin American country.

Introduction to IP valuation (25/11/2021)

Many companies create and own IP in the course of their activity. It can be technical innovations protectable through patents, technological or commercial information that can be protected as trade secrets, works protected through copyright or design rights, or brands protected through trade marks. Most companies only “own” these IP Rights and have little or no information about their real value. Therefore, it is important for companies to know the real value of their IP assets. This is what IP valuation is about. It will shed light on potential commercial opportunities. It can also ease decision-making processes involving IP Rights.

IP systems comparative: Mexico vs Europe (25/11/2021)

In 2019, Mexico was the 12th largest partner for EU exports of goods and the 15th largest partner for EU imports of goods. As one of the main Latin American economies, Mexico is a key market for European companies in the region. Nevertheless, European SMEs should be cautious when entering the Mexican market to ensure that their intellectual property rights are adequately protected there. Remember that registered IP rights are territorial in nature and are therefore protected only in the territory in which they have been registered. Consequently, any IP Rights registered in Europe will have no legal validity in Mexico, until they are also registered in this country.

GLOBAL EUROPE - EU funded projects supporting businesses to look beyond the EU and internationalize (30/11/2021)

The Global Europe webinar brings you key projects funded by the European Commission that support your European business directly to your home office. Join this online session and discover how you can seize international opportunities for your organization or EU business. During this webinar you will learn how to access EU-funded, effective, free, and professional services that will kick start your internationalisation to critical markets such as Latin America, China, India, Turkey, and Eastern European countries. Whether it is about exporting your goods and services to other markets, technology transfer – join us and get your answers.

EU – LATAM SUMMIT en Economía Circular 2021 (event in Spanish) (01/12/2021)

La Agencia Andaluza del Conocimiento en colaboración con la Fundación para el Conocimiento Madri+d y los Business Cooperation Centres de América Latina de la Enterprise Europe Network, organizan el evento virtual EU – LATAM SUMMIT en Economía Circular 2021. Este evento internacional reunirá a entidades de Europa y América Latina trabajando en el ámbito de la Economía Circular, para hablar de las últimas novedades, tendencias y tecnologías en materia de sostenibilidad y economía circular. El Latin America IP SME Helpdesk presentará sus servicios el día 1 de diciembre durante la conferencia "Programas e Iniciativas de apoyo a la Economía Circular".

Intellectual property enforcement in Brazil (25/11/2021)

This factsheet aims to provide an overview of the legal framework in Brazil regarding IPR enforcement, focusing on the law applicable to each case and the kind of injunctions and remedies that can be applied for, as well as some practical advice.