IPTango

Monday, 30 September 2013

Epílogo: Dos argentinos demandan propiedad intelectual sobre "Priceless" de Mastercard

Rodrigo Ramirez Herrera @ramahr September 30, 2013 No comments:

En el mes de febrero de 2012 publicamos una entrada que se titulaba "Dos argentinos demandan propiedad intelectual sobre "Priceless" de Mastercard". Trataba de un proceso entablado en Chile contra la multinacional por dos publicistas radicados en Paraguay, Luis Alberto Apesteguia y Luis Moreno, por un supuesto plagio del eslogan que dio origen a la campaña más famosa de la compañía de los últimos tiempos ("Hay cosas que el dinero no puede comprar, para todo lo demás...").

El juicio se radicó en el 8º Juzgado de Civil de Santiago de Chile (rol Nº 10.298 / 2012), y fue iniciado mediante una medida prejudicial probatoria consistente en la exhibición del contrato que vinculaba a los demandantes con la demandada. La medida no prosperó.

Según la historia de la tramitación, la causa actualmente se encuentra archivada. La tramitación, el texto de la demanda y resoluciones están disponibles en el sitio web del Poder Judicial de Chile.

Fuente: Poder Judicial

Brazil: GI announcement.

Patricia Covarrubia September 30, 2013 No comments:

Over the weekend I read that the Brazilian Instituto Nacional da Propiedad Industrial (INPI) published a communication establishing the conditions for the registration of Geographical Indications (GI).

The Normative Instruction (IN) No 25/2013 replaces the IN 12/2013. This is so, according to the preamble of the said normative, due to the ‘growing importance of GIs for the economy’ and the need to ‘give adequate protection to GIs in Brazil’. The new normative consist of 30 Articles in total. Article 2 defines as a GI an ‘Indicação de Procedência’ (Indication of Source) and a ‘Denominação de Origem’ (Denomination of Origin) giving a proper definition for each of them. It continues to set up GIs that are not eligible to be recognised as such. A couple of articles covered foreign GIs.

Looking at the whole normative, it appears to be crystal clear. It covers pretty much everything that is needed to be known for anyone wishing to apply for a GI in Brazil e.g. requirements, application process, and examination process -- it even indicates that the reports should be submitted in A4 size paper with particular margins.

INPI’s web page has also been updated as to contain the last record of GI registered. Up to last week, there were 44 GI in total (nationals: 36 and foreigners: 8) - see this link here.

Brazil is not member of the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration as other counterparts in Latin America (Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico and Peru are members). Yet, this has not been a deterrent for establishing clear and precise legislation in the area and indeed, of good standard.

I wonder whether this has something to do with the forthcoming Olympic Games and World Cup. Brazil is hosting both international games and so, expecting millions of tourists. Will Brazil see a boost in the registration of national products?

A book, let it guide you.

Patricia Covarrubia September 26, 2013 No comments:

NEW 6TH EDITION
Guidebook to Intellectual Property

By Sir Robin Jacob, Daniel Alexander QC and Matthew Fisher

This is a unique book about Intellectual Property. It is aimed not only at law students studying the subject but also at interested users of IP - business people, inventors, scientists, designers and the like. It provides an outline of the basic legal principles which underpin and reguilate the subject, educatuing the reader as to the shape of the law. However, critically, it also gives insight into how the system actually works. You cannot understand chess by merely learning the rules - you also have to know how the game is played: so too with Intellectual Property.

To achieve its object the authors deliberately avoid technicalities; keeping things simple, yet direct. There are no footnotes to distract. Although cases are, inevitably, referred to they are explained in a pithy, accessible manner. The authors try wherever possible to be both serious and light-hearted at the same time.

All major areas of IP - patents, trade marks, copyright and designs -are covered, along with briefer treatment of other rights and subjects such as breach of confidence, plant varieties and databases.

A novice reader of this book should come away both with a clear outline of IP law and a feeling for how it works. Students will be able to put their more detailed study into perspective. Users will be able to understand better how IP affects them and their businesses.

The Authors
Sir Robin Jacob is currently the Hugh Laddie Professor of Intellectual Property Law at University College London, having left the Court of Appeal of England and Wales in May 2011. Sir Robin started practice at the Intellectual Property Bar in 1967. From 1976 to 1981 he was the Junior Counsel for the Comptroller of Patents and for all Government departments in intellectual property. He was made a Queen's Counsel in 1981 and was appointed a High Court Judge (Chancery Division) in 1993. He was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal in October 2003 and continues to sit from time to time in the Court of Appeal and sometimes acts as an arbitrator or mediator.
Daniel Alexander QC is a barrister at 8 New Square Chambers and a Visiting Professor at University College London. His practice covers litigation in intellectual property cases, including IT and media/entertainment cases, competition, EC, commercial and administrative law.
Matthew Fisher is a Senior Lecturer at University College London, where he teaches and researches in intellectual property law. He has a special interest in patents, but stresses that this should not be held against him. He is the author of Fundamentals of Patent Law: Interpretation and Scope of Protection (Hart, 2007), which won the innagural Inner Temple Young Author's Book Prize.

Published September 2013
270pp Pbk 9781849463256
RSP: £19.95 / €26 / US$40 / CDN$40

Order Online
UK, EU, ROW: If you would like to place an order you can do so through the Hart Publishing website here.

US: If you would like to place an order you can do so through the Hart Publishing website here.

Hart Publishing Ltd, 16C Worcester Place, Oxford, OX1 2JW
Telephone Number: 01865 517 530
Fax Number: 01865 510 710
Website: http://www.hartpub.co.uk

Emma Swinden, Marketing Coordinator at Hart Publishing, informs me that the e-book version will be available in a couple of weeks ( more info here).

The book is sitting in my desk - another item for the 'to do' list. Yet, I am always eager to read my favourite topics, trade marks and geographical indications...I of course, did have a peak to these and I can tell you that I was not disappointed - up to date information and cases, even the Greek yoghurt issue.

The material is a nutshell, right to the essence of matters and no distractions with footnotes and further reading. The information is indeed concise, but in a way, is easy to digest.

Nice to hear...

Patricia Covarrubia September 17, 2013 No comments:

I am still trying to catch up with my backlog of e-mails and bulletins...and I just noticed that autumn is here and I have not even started most of my ‘summer to- do list’!..yet I cannot miss the news that the Brazilian Instituto National de Propiedade Intelectual (INPI)has joined the Brazilian National Council that Combat Piracy and Crimes against IP (CNCP). It is indeed a well received support.

In the same line, registration for candidates that wish to be considered for the Annual National Award for combating piracy is open. Anybody, private or public, of any city in Brazil who has promoted and stood against piracy and other IP illegal actions can apply.

For more information click here or send an e-mail to cncp@mj.gov.br

I wish more countries will follow this example. As the Tesco’s slogan goes...’every little helps’.

Brazil: collective marks

Patricia Covarrubia September 17, 2013 No comments:

This month, the Brazilian Instituto Nacional da Propiedade Industrial (INPI) granted a collective mark to the Associação dos Agricultores Familiares Produtores de Morango de Nova Friburgo (Amorango) – (Association of Family Farmers of Strawberry – at the moment 18 families are members). Fernando Hottz , producer and Amorango’s president, received the certificate from INPI’s Trade Mark director.

In the event, there was an opportunity to talk about the importance of ‘indentifying’ a product through marks, as well as the social and economic advantages of collective marks. There is indeed more awareness among consumers who benefit from marks, i.e. identification is easy, but also, the product gains credibility which is beneficial to both, consumers and producers. Sebrae, a Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises, a non-profit organization, has supported and continues to support Amorango.

INPI informs that until today it has granted 85 collective marks. It also noted that since 2010 there has been 39% increase in these applications.

Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal promotes two in Argentina

Patricia Covarrubia September 11, 2013 No comments:

From Phil Cox, Global Law Marketing Director, we received news that Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal promotes two to partner in core practice areas.

On August 1 2013, Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal promoted two senior associates to partner: Martín Chajchir and Enrique Veramendi. These promotions strengthen two of the firm’s core practice areas: intellectual property and administrative/public law. The new partners already have a wealth of experience and are highly specialized in their respective areas of expertise:

• Martín Chajchir’s area of expertise is industrial property, with a strong focus on litigation and anti-counterfeiting. He has vast experience in precautionary measures and court proceedings aimed at stopping IP infringements and obtaining the attachment and seizure of infringing goods. Martín also specializes in litigation of trademark opposition cases and cancellation actions. He handles a range of work related to anti-counterfeiting and enforcement of IP rights, including trademarks, trade names, domain names and industrial models and designs. Martín has taken courses in Patent Law and IP Licensing at Universidad Austral and has participated as speaker in seminars on trademark litigation issues in Argentina.

• Enrique Veramendi is a key member of the firm’s administrative law department, focusing on a wide range of administrative, regulatory and constitutional law matters. His experience is in complex, public law-related litigation at a judicial and administrative level. Recently, Enrique has been advising oil & gas companies on major regulatory reforms introduced by the Government. He has also been providing counsel for leading agribusiness companies on their day-to-day operations and in matters regarding export taxes, customs duties and regulatory measures. Enrique has a Master’s in Administrative Law from Universidad Austral and an LL.M. from New York University Law School, as a Hauser Global Scholar.

Alfredo O’Farrell, chair of Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal’s executive board, commented on the promotions: “This is a very special year for Marval, as the firm is celebrating its ninetieth anniversary. We have reached this milestone as a result of the hard work of an outstanding team and a strategy of sustained growth and development, always looking to the future. We are pleased to welcome to the partnership two excellent lawyers in Martin and Enrique, and strengthen our thriving intellectual property and public law practice groups, thereby ensuring that our clients continue to receive the best possible service. We have continued to build for the future and are now better placed than ever to provide expert advice and services of the highest quality to our clients.”

For further information please contact:

Cecilia Westerdahl

+54 11 4310-0100 ext. 2229/ CMW@marval.com.ar

Colombia – La marca ‘Juan Valdez’ declarada marca notoria

Gilberto Macias (@gmaciasb) September 06, 2013 No comments:

La Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC) declaró recientemente a la marca de café colombiana ‘Juan Valdez' como marca notoria, confiriendo y prorrogando el status especial de dicha marca en el mercado colombiano.

Mediante Resolución No. 49475 del 23 de agosto de 2013, María José Lamus Becerra, directora de Signos Distintivos de la SIC, extendió la notoriedad de la marca Juan Valdez®, acogiéndose así a los argumentos de la Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC) dentro de la oposición al registro de una marca que buscaba imitar la marca “Juan Valdez”.

El 27 de diciembre del 2012, la firma Arriero Café Bar Restaurante S. A. S. solicitó a la SIC el registro -bajo la figura de marca mixta- del signo ‘Arriero Café’, al que la FNC se opuso argumentando que había falta de elementos distintivos en la imagen, la cual se podía confundir fácilmente con la de sus marcas Café de Colombia y Juan Valdez.

De acuerdo con el comunicado de la FNC la Directora de la SIC concluyó que “el signo Juan Valdez es conocido nacionalmente, excelentemente posicionado, de trayectoria, prestigio y buena reputación. Se trata de una marca con una altísima capacidad distintiva (…). Es un intangible preciado para su titular, que a explota, promueve, protege y proyecta constantemente, y por ende susceptible de protección como marca notoria”.

La decisión de la SIC concluye manifestando que la imagen solicitada 'Arriero Café' evoca notoriamente a las marcas de la Federación, lo que podría generar riesgos de confusión en el consumidor.

Esta decisión de la SIC ratifica una previa declaración en la que la notoriedad de la marca ‘JUAN VALDEZ’ ya había sido declarada (2007).

La marca ‘JUAN VALDEZ’ también ha sido declarada una marca notoria en la Unión Europea, España y Costa Rica.

Más información aquí: Semana El Colombiano

Some IPTango moves

* Listed as one of the "Best blogs on Intellectual and Industrial Property Law". The University of Alicante Intellectual Property & Information Technology Project (UAIPIT).

* One of the only two Latin American blog listed in the "Top 100 Intellectual Property Blogs". Feedspot, as of May 2021.

* Listed as one of the "Top 15 Blogs For An Intellectual Property (IP) Enthusiasts". Buzzfeed.com, January 2017.

* Listed as one of the "World's Best IP Blogs". BananaIP.com, December 2015.

* IPTango founder Professor Jeremy Phillips was listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2005, 2011, 2013, and 2014.

* Listed as one of the "Influential intellectual property blawgs". A Dictionary of Intellectual Property Law, Peter Groves, 2011.

* Listed as one of the "Communities of Blawgers". Los blogs jurídicos y la web 2.0. para la difusión y la enseñanza del derecho, Gonzalo Ramírez Cleves, 2010.