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!

Thursday 24 June 2021

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo

Mercado Libre published its first Transparency Report


On 19 May 2021, Mercado Libre (MELI) published its first Transparency ReportMELI stated that the report’s purpose is “to make our policies and actions transparent to safeguard the security and privacy of over 74 million users in our entire regional ecosystem”.

The Transparency Report consists of three main sections: product security and quality, protection of IP rights, and privacy matters. Read below some highlights of the report!


Section: Product security and quality

This section contains stats about removed content due to violations of MELI’s Terms and Conditions (T&C), which inter alia, prohibit certain items are sold on the platform (e.g., medicines, counterfeit items and other goods violating IP rights):

  • 331,607,978 listings were placed on the 18 MELI's websites as of 31 December 2020.
  • 18,570,436 listings were detected and moderated by MELI due to violation of its Listing and Prohibited Items Policies.
  • 112,424 listings were reported by users.
  • 65,180 listings were removed due to COVID-19 related matters.
  • Top 10 product categories regarding removed listings due to violation of MELI’s Listing and Prohibited Items Policies:

Product Category

Removed Listings

Courses

7,036,318

Medicine, health and/or beauty substances and products

1,386,243

E-books

1,337,862

Digital accounts & contents

1,278,420

Adult products

844,061

Personal databases

611,122

Decoders, antennas & signals

433,865

Personal documents

230,757

Tobacco & alike

215,817

Products & financial services

126,428


  • Top jurisdictions concerning detected listings due to violation of MELI’s Listing and Prohibited Items Policies:

Jurisdictions

Detected Listings

Brazil

13,283,854

Mexico

2,282,461

Colombia

1,371,060

Argentina

792,168

Chile

609,413

Uruguay

98,915

Peru

96,569

Rest of Latin America

35,996


  • In the report is highlighted that MELI uses machine learning technologies to detect infringing listings. In this sense, only 3.12% of the detected listings went back to the platform (reactivated ads).

Section: Protection of IP rights

This section contains stats regarding MELI’s Brand Protection Program (BPP), which “enable IPR holders to report infringing listings [via a Notice & Take Down -N&TD- procedure] in any of the 18 countries where Mercado Libre operates”.

  • 2,107,264 N&TDs were submitted.
  • 104,661 counter-notices were submitted.
  • The number of confirmed and not confirmed N&TDs:

Date

Confirmed N&TD

Not confirmed N&TD

2020-7

580,164

57,589

2020-8

396,225

46,558

2020-9

285,462

48,326

2020-10

333,046

26,757

2020-11

198,232

24,184

2020-12

92,568

23,035



Review the full Transparency Report here in English and here in Spanish.

Read here the interview IPTango held with Juan Cichero (Head of Brand Protection at MELI). Juan conversed about BPP, including the machine learning technologies used to detect infringing listings and the N&TD procedure.

Credit: Image is courtesy of Mercado Libre.

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Wednesday 23 June 2021

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo

WIPO Lex – Sentencias: ¡Se han agregado más jurisdicciones a la base de datos mundial gratuita sobre sentencias judiciales!


El 10 de junio de 2021, la Organización Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual (OMPI) anunció que 4 jurisdicciones han sido agregadas a la base de datos gratuita WIPO Lex - Sentencias, la cual contiene resoluciones judiciales sobre cuestiones de propiedad intelectual de diversos países.

Con la adición* de la Comunidad Andina, Estados Unidos de América, Filipinas y Lituania, así como las resoluciones añadidas** de otros países ya contemplados, por el momento, la base de datos contiene casi 800 resoluciones de las siguientes catorce jurisdicciones:


WIPO Lex - Sentencias se puso en marcha el 24 de septiembre de 2020 y está disponible en español, inglés, árabe, chino, francés y ruso.

Se puede acceder a la base de datos a través del portal WIPO LEX, el cual ya contiene diversas leyes y tratados en materia de propiedad intelectual de todo el mundo.

¡Lee aquí mi reporte sobre WIPO Lex - Sentencias el cual incluye información respecto a sus características, perfiles de las jurisdicciones, criterios de búsqueda y más!

Fuentes: boletín de noticias de la OMPI y WIPO Lex - Sentencias.

Crédito: imagen de Gerd Altmann en Pixabay.

Parte de esta publicación está adaptada de un artículo anterior publicado en IPTango y su versión en inglés en el blog The IPKat.
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Friday 18 June 2021

IPTango

[Guest Post] The Brazilian Supreme Court defines the effects of the decision declaring the unconstitutionality of the sole paragraph of article 40 of the Industrial Property Law


IPTango is pleased to publish a guest post by Pedro Matheus and Leonardo Cordeiro (Gruenbaum, Possinhas & Teixeira), discussing the modulation of the effects of the decision declaring the unconstitutionality of the sole paragraph of article 40 of the Industrial Property Law of Brazil. Read here their post on the Direct Action for the Declaration of Unconstitutionality of such provision.


On 12 May 2021, the Supreme Court defined the modulation of the effects of the decision that declared the unconstitutionality of the sole paragraph of article 40 of the Industrial Property Law (LPI).

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Thursday 17 June 2021

IPTango

Encounter 13: Intangible Cultural Heritage And IP


On 18 June 2021, FIDE (Legal and Business Research Foundation) and TIPSA (Transatlantic Intellectual Property Academy) will hold the Encounter 13: Intangible Cultural Heritage And IP.

The panellists are Professor Harriet Deacon (Coventry University), Professor Dr. Tuomas Mattila (University of Helsinki), Alexander Parra Peña (Artesanías de Colombia) and Professor Benedetta Ubertazzi (Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicoca).

The suggested readings and the report on the session will be available on the Global Digital Encounters (GDE) website as time goes by.

The Encounter is offered free of charge, but registration is required. Register here now!

If you missed previous Encounters or you want to watch them again, click here.

Credit: The image is courtesy of FIDE.

UPDATE 5 July 2021: the recording of Encounter 13 is available here. 
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Monday 14 June 2021

IPTango

¡Mañana inicia la Conferencia “El Nuevo Mundo de las Marcas: Latinoamérica”!


Como se anunció aquí, el Centro de Lucha contra la Falsificación y Protección de Productos (Centro A-CAPP) de la Universidad Estatal de Michigan, está organizando la conferencia El Nuevo Mundo de las Marcas: Latinoamérica, la cual se llevará a cabo de forma virtual del 15 al 17 de Junio de 2021.

La conferencia abordará los problemas de protección de marcas en Latinoamérica. Las sesiones principales se realizarán en español, inglés y portugués.

Los temas de las sesiones son los siguientes:
  • Estrategias para marcas que quieren colaborar con autoridades locales en la lucha contra la falsificación.
  • Zonas de libre comercio y protección de marcas: mejores prácticas.
  • Comercio electrónico y falsificaciones: cooperación transnacional.
  • Intersecciones entre la falsificación y los vínculos del crimen organizado.
  • Decomiso de mercancías falsificadas por Aduanas: seguimiento, destrucción de mercancías.
  • Impacto del COVID en la protección de marcas y la aplicación de la PI.

El programa y la lista completa de ponentes están disponibles aquí.

La conferencia no tiene ningún costo, pero es necesario registrarse. De igual manera, el registro es necesario para acceder a las grabaciones de las sesiones (en caso de que no puedas unirte a las mismas o desees verlas de nuevo).

El Nuevo Mundo de las Marcas: Latinoamérica es una serie de conferencias virtuales gratuitas “sobre cuestiones de protección de marcas después de la pandemia, mirando hacia el futuro". La primera serie se llevó a cabo en 2020, abordando cuestiones de protección de marcas y la lucha contra la falsificación. La conferencia incluyó ponentes de la industria, academia, fuerzas del orden y gobierno.

Si no te has registrado, ¡hazlo aquí ahora!

Consulta aquí más información sobre la conferencia.

La imagen es cortesía del Centro A-CAPP.
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IPTango

The Chilean Senate approved the bill to join the Madrid Protocol


On 19 May 2021, the Chilean Senate approved the bill to join the Madrid Protocol.

As reported here, first, the bill was discussed and approved by the Chamber of Deputies on 14 January 2021. Then, it was sent to the Senate for its approval.

The Madrid Protocol is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The Treaty establishes an international system that facilities the registration and management of trademarks in the countries of its Contracting Parties.

The Madrid Protocol will enter into force in Chile after the respective promulgation and that the instrument of accession is deposited with WIPO.

Review here more information about the Madrid Protocol.

Sources: INAPI and Chilean Senate websites.
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Sunday 13 June 2021

IPTango

Paraguay’s accession to the Nice and Locarno Agreements


On 31 May 2021, Paraguay deposited its instrument of accession to the Nice and Locarno Agreements, administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The Treaties establish an international classification for the registration of trademarks (Nice Agreement) and industrial designs (Locarno Agreement).

Both Treaties will enter into force in Paraguay on 31 August 2021.

Review here more information about the international classifications.

Watch here a video featuring WIPO Director General Daren Tang welcoming Paraguay’s accession to the Agreements.

Source: WIPO website.
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Tuesday 8 June 2021

IPTango

The Role of IP in a Post-Crisis World - Global Digital Encounters Vol. 1


The final paper covering all the Global Digital Encounters (GDE) reports from May 2020 to May 2021 has been published.

FIDE (Legal and Business Research Foundation) and TIPSA (Transatlantic Intellectual Property Academy) organized the GDE to “support the international, European and national plans to overcome the sanitary and financial consequences of the COVID-19”.

The Encounters were scheduled from May 2020 to May 2021 around the topic ‘The role of IP in a new post-crisis world’. Forty-one panellists from over 15 countries participated in the GDE.



Likewise, hyperlinks to the recordings of the sessions and some questions posed during the GDE were included in the final paper. Download it here!

Credit: Image is courtesy of FIDE.
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Saturday 5 June 2021

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo

2021 AIPPI Essay Prize


The International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) calls for submissions for the 2021 AIPPI Essay Prize.

The AIPPI Essay Prize was launched last year (as was announced here). The second edition of the competition introduces a video option. Thus, applicants can either write an essay in English or record a video on IP topics.

The 2021 competition topics are the following:

  • Sustainability and its effects on Intellectual Property after COVID-19.
  • Any relevant topic that you think would be interesting for consideration by AIPPI as a study topic in the near future.

There are two prizes, one for AIPPI members and one for IP students. The AIPPI member will receive a complimentary registration (or a refund if already registered) for the 2021 Congress. The IP Student will obtain “a free Join & Register place for the 2021 Congress”.

The winners will receive a certificate and can also record a video to speak about their essays (if applicable). The videos (about the essays or winning videos) will be shown during the AIPPI World Congress to be held online in October 2021. The winning essays or videos will be available on the AIPPI website.

Complete submissions must be sent to publications@aippi.org before 15 September 2021 (5 pm CEST). Recorded entries must be shared via a link (e.g., wetransfer.com).

Review here for more information about the competition.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.
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Tuesday 1 June 2021

Verónica Rodríguez Arguijo

WIPO: Worldwide Symposium on Geographical Indications


The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will hold the Worldwide Symposium on Geographical Indications from 6 to 8 September 2021.

The biennial Symposium is “a forum for exchanging ideas and perspectives on issues relating to the use and protection of geographical indications”, where recent developments and technical insights into the field are discussed.

The 2021 edition will be held online and will include the following sessions:

  • Selected International Developments
  • The Socio-economic Impact of Geographical Indications
  • Commercialization Strategies for Geographical Indications
  • Geographical Indications and Trade
  • Geographical Indications and Sustainability
  • Challenges for Geographical Indications and the Internet Domain Name System

Review here the full program and the list of speakers. You can register here.

A virtual exhibition will also be launched on 6 September 2021. It will provide an overview of geographical indications (GI) and examples of products protected by GI from around the world. The exhibition will be available for six months.

Find here more information about the Symposium.

Image by Couleur from Pixabay.
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