Welcome to our blog for Intellectual Property Law and Practice in Latin America!
¡Bienvenidos a nuestro blog de Derecho y Práctica de la Propiedad Intelectual en Latinoamérica!
Bem-vindo ao nosso blog sobre Direito e Prática de Propriedade Intelectual na América Latina!

Tuesday 30 June 2020

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo

Upcoming events on this week and more!



WHAT'S GOING ON THIS WEEK? 

On 30 June 2020, the webinar The IP systems in the Americas during the COVID-19 will be held. The event is organized by the Argentine Association of Industrial Property Agents (AAAPI), the Brazilian Intellectual Property Association (ABPI), the Chilean Association of Intellectual Property (ACHIPI), the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), and the Mexican Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AMPPI). The event will be held in English with simultaneous translation to Portuguese. It will be discussed how the National Patent and Trademark Offices are coping with COVID-19 crisis, through the implementation of measures such as suspensions of deadlines, priority examinations and compulsory licenses. The speakers are Patrick J. Coyne (AIPLA), Luiz Edgard Montaury Pimenta (ABPI), Eryck Castillo Orive (AMPPI), Rodrigo Puchi (ACHIPI), and Juan Berton Moreno (AAAPI). Register here

On the same day, the webinar Mapping of health innovation clusters in Brazil (in Portuguese) will be streamed on Facebook. The event is organized by the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI Brazil) and the Brazilian Company of Industrial Research and Innovation (EMBRAPII). 

On 1 July 2020, the following events are scheduled: 

On 2 July 2020, the webinar Searching for patents, organized by the Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI) will take place. The event will cover inter alia patent information databases and other resources. The speakers are Margarita Romero and Alexander Agudelo. Roberto J. Ríos will moderate the session. 


A-CAPP Center’s Conference: A Brand’s New World 

The Michigan State University’s Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection (A-CAPP Center) announced the conference A Brand’s New World: The Future of Challenges in Brand Protection will be held online from 20 to 22 July 2020. 

The conference will address brand protection strategies and issues post-pandemic. The speakers include Hernan Albamonte (Philip Morris), Charles Olschanski (Tiffany), Cristina Posa (Amazon), Brian Fogarty (Nike), Lori Mayall (Gilead Sciences), Mike Gannon (3M), Mark Schildkraut (BD), Tara Steketee (Merck & Co.), Kasie Brill (GIPC), and Carolina Giuga (LEGO). Some moderators are Jeff Rojek (A-CAPP), Leah Evert-Burks (A-CAPP), and Kari Kammel (A-CAPP). Register here


PAST EVENTS 

Did you miss some events held the last week? The following are still available on-demand: 

If you have a craving for more, review the full list of events here

Image: StockSnap on Pixabay.
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Friday 26 June 2020

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo

¿Eres amante de los libros? ¡Tenemos buenas noticias para ti!


Hemos recibido algunos libros electrónicos de la Editorial Tirant Lo Blanch, los cuales serán sorteados entre nuestros lectores. 

Las obras abordan diversos temas en Propiedad Intelectual y han sido escritas por renombrados autores en la materia. 

Los títulos de las obras y las dinámicas de los sorteos serán anunciados próximamente en nuestra cuenta de Twitter. 

Si aún no nos sigues en Twitter, ¿qué esperas? ¡Síguenos aquí

Imagen de Pexels en Pixabay.
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Monday 22 June 2020

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo

Upcoming events on this week and more!


WHAT'S GOING ON THIS WEEK?

The International Trademark Association (INTA) is holding its first online conference Brands in Society: Their Influence and Responsibility on 22 and 23 June 2020. The two-day event will address diverse topics about the role brands play in society. Live-sessions, speed networking, brand trivia, and topic rooms are all part of the agenda. Some speakers are Ayala Deutsch (NBA), Signe Naeve (Starbucks), Pieter van den Bulck (Anheuser-Busch), Austin Phillips (Facebook), Etienne Sanz de Acedo (INTA), Kim Culmone (Mattel) and David Lossignol (Novartis). Review the program here.

On 23 June 2020, the webinar Trademark Updates and Developments at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, organized by the Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI) will take place. The event will cover inter alia the requirement to foreign trademark applicants to be represented before the USPTO by a qualified attorney in the USA. The speakers are Cynthia Henderson, Jennifer D. Chicoski and Enrique Diaz.

FIDE will hold the Legal Management Summer Program (in Spanish) from 23 June to 9 July 2020. The LMSP aims to create a hub of professionals from Spain, LATAM and North America. The program will cover legal project management, process improvement, big data, disruptive technologies, business development in LATAM, robots and employment law, among other topics.

On 24 June 2020, the panel discussion Law and Technology, in light of the cooperation agreement signed by UNAM and the Internet Association of Mexico (in Spanish) will be streamed on Facebook. The event is organized by the Legal Research Institute (IIJ) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the Internet Association of Mexico (AIMX). The speakers include Pedro Salazar Ugarte (IIJ), Julio César Vega Gómez (AIMX), Cintya Martínez (American Express) and Ana Alba Betancourt (IIJ).

On the same day, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is offering the webinar The Global Design Database: An Introduction (in English). Register here.

WIPO is also holding the set of webinars Discover WIPO PROOF, trusted digital evidence for your intellectual assets on 24 and 25 June 2020. The webinars include a live demo and a Q&A session. Register here and here.

On 25 June 2020, the following webinars are scheduled:
On 26 June 2020, the Mexican Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AMPPI) will hold the webinar Inventorship and Artificial Intelligence (in Spanish). The speakers are Alma Álvarez Delucio, Andrés Esteva Wurts, Héctor Chayoga Cortés, Mariana González Vargas and Pablo Fuentes Barrón.

On the same day, it will take place the webinar WIPO PROOF: New Horizons in Intellectual Asset Management, organized by WIPO and ABPI. The event will be held in English with simultaneous translation to Portuguese. The speakers are Luiz Edgard Montaury Pimenta (ABPI), José Graça Aranha (WIPO), Nadja Maria da Silva Oliveira (Technology Park Foundation of Paraíba) and Claudio Cocorocchi (WIPO). Marcia Maria Nunes de Barros will moderate the session.

Meanwhile, the Specialized Centre for Intellectual Property Training (CECPI) will hold the webinar Non-traditional trademarks: Legislation in force, USMCA and the new Law proposal (in Spanish) on 26 June 2020. The speaker is Professor Eduardo de la Parra Trujillo. More information here.


MAPI: SECOND EDITION OF THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AWARD

The LL.M. in Intellectual Property and New Technologies (MAPI) of the Autonomous University of Madrid is calling for submissions for the second edition of the Intellectual Property Award.

The paper should address copyright and related rights topics. It should be written in Spanish and be no longer than 70 pages. The prize is €3500, and the winner's paper will be published in the Intellectual Property Magazine.

Submissions must be sent to master.propiedadintelectua@uam.es before 15 December 2020. More information can be reviewed here.


PAST EVENTS

Did you miss some events held the last week? The following are still available on-demand:

If you have a craving for more, review the full list of events here!

Image: INTA's official account on LinkedIn.


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Monday 15 June 2020

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo

Upcoming events on this week and more!


WHAT'S GOING ON THIS WEEK?

On 16 June 2020, the World Intellectual Property Organization is holding the webinar WIPO Mediation Rules for IP and Tech Disputes (in English). WIPO is offering the webinar at two different times: the first one at 10:00 AM CEST and the second one at 5:00 PM CEST. Register here.

On 17 June 2020, the WIPO-AIPPI Joint Webinar (in English) will take place. The event is organized by WIPO and the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI). The speakers are Arno Hold (AIPPI), Francis Gurry (WIPO), Luiz Henrique do Amaral (AIPPI), Annie Tsoi (AIPPI) and Claudio Cocorocchia (WIPO). At the end of the event, a practice session introducing WIPO PROOF will be held.

On the same day, the Latin America IPR Helpdesk is offering the webinar Intellectual Property: the door to secure internationalization (in Spanish). The speaker is César E. Férnandez.

The webinar Inventions implemented through computer programs and new technologies (in Portuguese) will also take place on 17 June 2020. The event is organized by the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI Brazil) and the law firm Leão Propriedade Intelectual. The speakers are Daniel Barros Junior (INPI Brazil) and Professor Milton Lucídio Leão Barcellos. Sheila da Silva Peixoto will moderate the session.

Meanwhile, WIPO and the Brazilian Association of Industrial Property Agents (ABAPI) will hold the webinar The Protection of Traditional Cultural Expressions. Some speakers are Daphné Zografos Johnsson (WIPO) and Carolina Starling (Ministry of Tourism, Brazil). The session will cover cases concerning the traditional June festivities (Festas Juninas) and will be streamed on ABAPI TV (YouTube Channel).

On 18 June 2020, the following events are scheduled:


WIPO - MEXICO SUMMER SCHOOL ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

The WIPO - Mexico Summer School on Intellectual Property will be held online from 6 to 17 July 2020. The program is addressed to senior students (bachelor or postgraduate) and young professionals.

The theme of this year’s summer school is “Creative Industries and Intellectual Property”. Case studies, online lectures and debates are all part of the program.

The sessions will be instructed in Spanish. Fees have been waived due to the exceptional circumstances of this year. Apply before 22 June 2020. More information can be reviewed here.


PAST EVENTS

Did you miss some events held the last week? The following are still available on-demand:

If you have a craving for more, review the full list of events here!

Image: IMPI's official account on Twitter.
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Tuesday 9 June 2020

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo

Upcoming events


WHAT'S GOING ON THIS WEEK?

The webinar Challenges for Copyright in the Digital Environment in the Andean Community (in Spanish), organized by the National Service of Intellectual Rights (SENADI - Ecuador) and the Latin American School of Intellectual Property (ELAPI) will be streamed from 9 to 11 June 2020 on YouTube. The speakers include Santiago Cevallos (SENADI - Ecuador), Ramiro Rodríguez (SENADI - Ecuador), Carolina Romero Romero (DNDA - Colombia), Francisco Bueno Ayala (SENAPI - Bolivia), Fausto Vienrich Enríquez (INDECOPI - Peru), Hugo Gómez Apac (Court of Justice of the Andean Community), and Paolo Lanteri (WIPO). The program is available here.

The Ibero-American Network of Cyber Law will stream the congress Locademia of Law and Technology from 9 to 12 June 2020 on YouTube. The program will cover intellectual property issues, streaming and online piracy, digital signatures, e-commerce, fintech and cybercrime, among other topics. Some speakers are Joel Gómez Treviño, Salvador Camacho, Lucía Cantera, Daiana Pereira, and David Oliva.

The Latin Alternative Music Conference will be held online from 9 to 13 June 2020. Panels, workshops, and showcases are all part of the program. Some speakers are Rocio Guerrero (Amazon Music), Jorge Mejia (Sony Music), Jordi Puig (Ocesa), Elsa Yep (Universal Music), Emily Simonitsch (Live Nation), Pablo Rodríguez (BMG), Monica Herrera Damashek (Spotify), Michelle Garcia (Deezer), Ady Harley (Facebook/Instagram), and Noel Nuez (TikTok). The program is available here.

Meanwhile, the webinar Intellectual Property in the time of COVID-19 (in Portuguese) will also take place on 9 June 2020. The event is organized by the law firm ClarkeModet. The speakers are Claudio Castanheira, Gilberto Medeiros Ribeiro, and Douglas Oliveira.

On 10 June 2020, the following webinars are scheduled:

On 11 June 2020, the Latin America IPR Helpdesk will hold the webinar Intellectual Property in Argentina: Tips for Protecting and Managing your IPRs in Unprecedented Times (in English). The speakers are Mariano Riccheri and Elis Salis.

On the same day, it will take place the webinar Making your Business Digital: How Intellectual Property can Help you, which is organized by WIPO and ABPI. The event will be held in English with simultaneous translation to Portuguese. The speakers are Luiz Edgard Montaury Pimenta (ABPI), José Graça Aranha (WIPO), Laurent Manderieux (TIPSA), and Eldar Haber (Faculty of Law of the University of Haifa). Filipe Fonteles will moderate the session.

On 12 June 2020, the International Trademark Association (INTA) and the Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI) will hold the webinar ASIPI / INTA Study on the Economic Impact of Trademarks in Latin America - Possible Consequences of the Pandemic. The speakers are Marcela Cristini and Guillermo Bermudez. The hosts are Elisabeth Siemsen and Etienne Sanz de Acedo. The webinar will be moderated by Matías Noetinger and José Luis Londoño. Register here.


FIDE: LEGAL MANAGEMENT SUMMER PROGRAM

FIDE announced the Legal Management Summer Program will be held online from 23 June to 9 July 2020. The program is addressed to partners, managing partners and attorneys at law firms in Spain and Latin American countries, as well as directors and in-house legal counsels.

The LMSP aims to create a hub of professionals from Spain, LATAM and North America. The program will cover legal project management, process improvement, big data, disruptive technologies, business development in LATAM, robots and employment law, among other topics.

The sessions will be instructed in Spanish. Apply before 20 June 2020. More information can be reviewed here and here.


PAST EVENTS

Did you miss some events held the last week? The following are still available on-demand:

If you have a craving for more, review the full list of events here!


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Friday 5 June 2020

Patricia Covarrubia

Uruguay: Absolute Grounds of Refusal good practice

    No comments:
Not many times we receive much news about Uruguay, so in this occasion I am delighted to bring you news on good practice. The National Directorate of Industrial Property under the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining of Uruguay (DNPI), in collaboration with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the EU-funded project IP Key Latin America (IP KEY LA), have put together a Practice Paper concerning the examination of absolute grounds for refusal in cases of figurative trade marks that contain purely descriptive words/expressions. The paper is to be used as a guidance on how to assess the examination of this type of marks (known in Uruguay as ‘marcas mixtas’ ).

The grounds for refusal are divided into two: 1) ‘absolute grounds for refusal’ which refers to the 'intrinsic qualities' of the sign and its ability to function as a trade mark i.e. to be able to be distinguishable in the market; 2) ‘relative grounds for refusal’ which refers to conflicts with earlier 3rd party rights. The IP Key Latin America notes that the DNPI is the “first Latin American IP office to analyse and find common ground with the criteria developed under the Common Communication on the Common Practice of Distinctiveness – Figurative marks containing descriptive/non-distinctive words”.

For more information click here. The paper can be read here (Spanish), and here (English).
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Thursday 4 June 2020

Patricia Covarrubia

A Call for a Relaxation of IP Rights during Coronavirus Pandemic

    1 comment:
Aimed to ensure people´s health, Colombian congressmen together with a group of citizens have requested the President of the Republic to take the appropriate measures for allowing the use of medicines and technologies protected by intellectual property rights to address the challenges posed by the current pandemic situation.

Based on the text of the Political Constitution, the petitioners have requested to adopt, within the shortest possible time, the measures required for relaxing the current intellectual property rules and the patent system, to facilitate access to medicines, technologies, chemical reagents, vaccines, and the medical devices used to diagnose and treat the coronavirus. In their opinion, the rising infection rates put human lives at risk and jeopardise the health system, which justifies a decision of this kind.

Among other actions, they propose implementing a faster procedure for the concession of compulsory licenses and statutory licenses for government and non-commercial uses. They fear that the intellectual property rights, used to control the placing in the market and import of diagnostic tests, medical devices, medicines and vaccines, could produce either a shortage or a rise in the price of these products. Also, they point out that medicines such as the Remdesivir having a high probability of success for the treatment of coronavirus, in Colombia are protected with at least three different patents.

While the petitioners recognise the declaratory of public interest for medicines, technologies, vaccines, medical devices and supplies, as a step forward in fighting the virus, for them, it is yet not clear whether such declaratory will be enough for issuing compulsory and statutory licences or, if a resolution from the Ministry of Health will also be required.

So far there is no answer from the National Government to this petition, and many sectors are interested in the measures that could be adopted in this regard.

This press note was originally published in Spanish language on May 29th 2020 on the web site of semana.com

Post written by Florelia Vallejo Trujillo
Assistant Professor, Universidad del Tolima, Colombia
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Monday 1 June 2020

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo

Upcoming events


WHAT'S GOING ON THIS WEEK?

On 2 June 2020, the Brazilian Intellectual Property Association (ABPI) will hold the webinar Influencers: Legal and Behavioural Aspects in light of the Pandemic (in Portuguese). The speakers are Gisela Peres Neves Baptista, Gustavo Escobar, and Camila Coutinho. The moderator is Deborah Portilho. Register here

The webinar Federal Law on Plant Varieties: Myths and Realities to the Amendment to UPOV-91 (in Spanish) will take place on 3 June 2020. The event is part of the Permanent Seminar on Intellectual Property 2020-1 (PSIP) which is organized by the Legal Research Institute (IIJ) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The speaker is Leobigildo Córdova Téllez, Director General of the National Service for the Inspection and Certification of Seeds (SNICS). 

On the same day, the webinar Intellectual Property Aspects of Live Streaming (in Portuguese), organized by the Brazilian Association of Industrial Property Agents (ABAPI), will be streamed on ABAPI TV (YouTube channel). The speakers are Ana Paula Borges Martins, Rafael Atab, and Cláudio Lins de Vasconcelos. The moderator is Ana Beatriz N. Guerra. 

On 4 June 2020, the following webinars are scheduled: 

WIPO CONVERSATION ON IP AND AI 

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) announced the Second Session of the WIPO Conversation on IP and AI will be held online from 7 to 9 July 2020

The First Session took place in September 2019 and “brought together member states and other stakeholders to discuss the impact of Al on IP policy”. The Revised Issues Paper on Intellectual Property Policy and Artificial Intelligence containing the results of the public consultation launched after the first session can be reviewed here


PAST EVENTS 

Did you miss some events held the last week? The following are still available on-demand: 
If you have a craving for more, review the full list of events here

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