Highlighted
recently here on IP Tango, the International
Trademark Association (INTA) will be hosting its Changing Landscape of Latin America
conference in Cartagena, Colombia, on October 2–3.
Serving
on the conference project team, Iris Quadrio (Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal, Argentina)
and Urko Ochoa (Minino, Dominican Republic) contributed to the educational
program and will be moderating a number of the sessions during the conference.
The conference will be presented in English.
Moderated
by Ms. Quadrio, a session titled “Politics and IP – Navigating This Unlikely Pair,”
will feature Luiz Henrique O. do Amaral (Dannemann Siemsen, Brazil) and Prof.
Dr. Gustavo Juan Schötz (National Director of Copyright, Ministry of Justice
and Human Rights, Argentina). This session ties in closely with the theme of
the conference, as it touches upon the changes that are reshaping the political
landscape across Latin America, with Brazil transitioning towards presidential
elections in 2018 after a particularly difficult period, and Argentina and Peru
signaling important developments after their respective new administrations
took office.
Speakers
will delve into the changing political and economic landscape and
its impact on issues such as the negotiation of agreements as
they relate to intellectual property (IP) and trademarks, including the
relaunch of Mercosur/EU trade talks. This discussion will also cover the role
of the new trademark and IP authorities in Latin America, with their own list
of priorities and reform projects, bringing participants up to date on the most
recent changes and developments in the region.
Mr.
Ochoa will lead a panel of experts comprising Melissa Pérez de Patterson
(Procter & Gamble, Panama), Sergio Barragán (Pepsico, Mexico), and Rodrigo
Velasco (Alessandri Abogados, Chile) in a session concerning the balance
between IP rights and the increasing regulatory landscape. They will discuss a
numbers of issues raised as a consequence of the new regulatory regimes which
are expanding in the region, the corresponding restrictions for IP rights, and
how IP owners and practitioners are facing the new challenges. Participants should
expect to receive a clear regional overview of the matter, as well as the
conflicts arising from the overlap between IP and regulatory provisions (such
as packaging claims, use of characters, and other restrictions), and
expectations for future developments.
Following the conference, on October 4, INTA
will host a workshop, Free
Trade Zones: Commerce vs. Counterfeits, during
which brand owners, free trade zone authorities, government officials, and
other stakeholders will explore the ongoing threat of counterfeiting in free
trade zones.
Register here to join INTA in Cartagena this
October.
Post written by INTA.
