IPTango: Latin America IPR SME Helpdesk

Showing posts with label Latin America IPR SME Helpdesk. Show all posts

Monday, 11 September 2017

Webinar "IPRs for EU SMEs in Mexico"

Gilberto Macias (@gmaciasb) September 11, 2017 No comments:

-->

Our friends of Latin America IPR SME Helpdesk have organized a very interesting webinar regarding Intellectual Property Rights for EU SMEs in Mexico.

The webinar aims to give an overview about the current situation as regards Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation as well as to provide practical information about the registration and enforcement of the main IPRs in Mexico.

Attendees will have the chance to see the importance and main features of each Intellectual Property Right when operating in Mexico.

The webinar will be held on Wednesday, September 13, 2017, at 15.00 hours (Brussels time) in English.

This free-of-charge event is business-oriented and is conducted by top professionals that know exactly what an SME needs to know to improve its business strategy regarding IP registration and enforcement in the Latin America region.

More information and registration here.

Latin American SMEs engaged in business cooperation with EU firms

Patricia Covarrubia April 17, 2017 No comments:

From the Latin America IPR SME Helpdesk we received good news that this Wednesday 19 April, 2017 there is going to be a Webinar aimed to Small and Medium Enteprises (SMEs).

The even is advertised as "Lack of awareness, bad timing or over/under rating of intangible assets represent a real threat to SMEs' success that can be easily prevented thanks to the Latin America IPR SME Helpdesk.
The webinar aims to give an overview to the SMEs on the main bad practices that they fall when it comes to Intellectual Property."

For more information click here. The Webinar is free of charge but you need to register in advance.

The webinar is instructed by Mr Eli Salis who is Partner attorney at Disain IP (Alicante, Spain). He focuses on IP, in particular, the protection, prosecution and enforcement regarding trade marks, patents, designs and copyrights.

Ecuador: encouraging IP registration by local applicants

Patricia Covarrubia November 08, 2016 No comments:

Ecuador's Intellectual Property Institute has reduced the fees for some of its services. According to Resolution 001-2016-CD-IEPI fees to file and maintain a patent have decreased by approx. 90%. The said resolution reforms the previous ones i.e. No. 003- 2010 CDIEPI (06/05/2010) and No. 006-2012 CDIEPI (23/05/2012).

There was no doubt that the Ecuadorian Institute of intellectual Property (IEPI) fees were costly. Some saw this “as a tax on foreign IP owners rather than as a means of stimulating and encouraging the use of IP registration by local applicants.” Therefore one can question if this is a step forward in the building of the proposed ‘Código Orgánico de Economía Social del Conocimiento, la Creatividad y la Innovación (Organic Code of Social Economy of Knowledge, Creativity and Innovation) -- known as ‘Codigo Ingenios’ (Intellects Code). This bill went to the Ecuadorian Assembly back in June 2015 as an initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Senescyt).

The reduction is seen on: patent application fee (until 10 claims); additional claim after the 10th; the renewal fees per year; and the examination fee up to 20 pages (and then, a 10% additional fee per sheet).

The graphic that you see, the original is available at the Latin America IPR SME Helpdesk, an IP fact-sheet of the country – next to the graphic (in red) the new fee is reflected.

Resolution 001-2016-CD-IEPI entered into force following its publication in the official registry(which was Friday 19 August, 2016 - N° 822).

A network to attend: calling SMEs

Patricia Covarrubia August 19, 2016 No comments:

No many times we receive news from Costa Rica and every time I see something in this country I get very excited [perhaps it’s because of its richness in fauna and flora: I definitely would like to visit the sloth sanctuary and indulge myself with their famous pineapples).

Sloths do tango.

An invitation was in my inbox from ELAN (European and Latin America Technology based Business Network) which I have the fortune to work with early in the year. For the 19th to the 21st September 2016 ELAN will be in San Jose, Costa Rica. The workshop is a great opportunity for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to “create strong networks and durable relationships and business opportunities characterized by being technology and innovation related.” The flyer notes that “ICT is one of the most dynamic technological areas in Costa Rica. It includes more than 900 companies, 95% of which are SMEs, becoming an interesting sector which important challenges related to international collaboration and partnership.”

In regards to intellectual property, the Latin American IPR SME Helpdesk will be present in the event. Day 2 will see Silvia Salazar speaking on how to manage intellectual property in the ICT sector focusing on patents in Central America. The event is free of charge.

More information here.

Mexico: time to oppose to trade mark registration

Patricia Covarrubia August 16, 2016 No comments:

At the end of this month (August 30, 2016) Mexico will implement an opposition system in trade mark.

In May this year the Latin America IPR SMEs Helpdesk and the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) collaborated on a roadshow in the UK. Participating in one of this workshops in Reading we cover ‘Intellectual Property Rights in Latin America – sources of help and support’ and one of the issues covered was the (lack of) trade mark opposition in Mexico.

Mexico is one of the few countries which does not provide for trade mark opposition proceedings. The Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI) is the administrative authority legally authorized to conduct ex officio examinations of trade mark applications on absolute and relative grounds. As noted in the World Trademark Review, Mexico is not bound to introduce opposition proceedings as a result of its accession to the Madrid System, but this amendment would make the trade mark system more efficient. Colombia was the first Latin America emerging country to ratify the Protocol on the Madrid Agreement (2012), then Mexico (2013). Cuba signed in 1995.

On 23 August José Miguel Mena López, Legal Services Manager at Clarke, Modet & Cº Mexico will be holding a Webinar on the implementation of the opposition system in Mexico. Details of the Webinar and how to registry can be found here.

Exporting is Great

Patricia Covarrubia May 24, 2016 No comments:

Last week the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) did a road-show around the UK. The campaign was regional focusing on trade and investment for Latin America.

I have the opportunity to make a presentation alongside the UKIPO as part of my role for the Latin America IPR SME Helpdesk and while the room was not packed the feeling was the same: is IP important for my company?

One of the key issues that Rahul Rahhavan (UKIPO) and I emphasised was that IP is territorial. And before that, it was important to point out that the protection of IP is essential for a company; be it a logo, slogan, the packaging, the invention, at the end it is your time and money that have been invested. It was your company that made such a product; your name, logo, colour are the ones that have made the public aware of ‘your’ good/service that differ from the competition. Why then not protect it?

In the road-show there were different representatives from Latin American countries. I have the opportunity to speak with the UKIT from Venezuela, Richard Hyde and talk about my beautiful home country: are there any opportunities for investment? As we all know, many Latin American countries are suffering from political issues and economic (in)stabilities and one cannot turn a blind eye on this. So, I rather not disclose Venezuela's state of affairs.

One of my roles was to address the weakness of IP in the region such as the backlog presented in some of the national IPO and the lack of specialised IP courts. But even so, it is good to see that the region has good legislations in place that fulfil international IP standards. Moreover, it is good to know that the majority are members of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (anyone from Argentina that can enlighten us on the country status? It appears that Argentina signed but has not ratified the Treaty as yet). There is also the possibility to include countries for the international trade mark registration system (Madrid system). This part went well since everything cannot be gloomy - otherwise will scare the UK to invest in our continent!

Hopefully after this event that took place in Cambridge, London, Reading and Midlands we will see some investors crossing the pond and interchanging some know-how, technology, and skills.

Thanks UKIPO for extending the invitation to the Latin America IPR SME Helpdesk. We are here to make it easier for SMEs to protect their IPR in our region.