IPTango

Wednesday, 31 August 2011

México: Firma de Convenio IMPI-COFEMER

Rodrigo Ramirez Herrera @ramahr August 31, 2011 No comments:

Con la finalidad de representar, regular y promover los intereses del sector productivo en México y adoptar medidas que fomenten su desarrollo para lograr una mayor competitividad de la industria y del país, el 23 de agosto el Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI) y la Comisión Federal de la Mejora Regulatoria (COFEMER) firmaron un Convenio de Colaboración, en materia regulatoria, que permitirá coadyuvar en las labores de propiedad industrial con el objeto de fomentar la innovación y el crecimiento económico. Mediante la firma de este Convenio se busca implementar acciones, mecanismos, bases y procedimientos de coordinación y colaboración entre el IMPI y la COFEMER con la finalidad de integrar, intercambiar y actualizar información que permita realizar diagnósticos y estudios para generar propuestas que faciliten las labores del IMPI relacionadas con la innovación y, en consecuencia, con el fomento de la productividad en el país. La firma de este Convenio estuvo encabezada por el Dr. José Rodrigo Roque Díaz, Director General del IMPI y por el Lic. Alfonso Carballo Pérez, Director General de la COFEMER.

Entre los objetivos planteados en el convenio está la identificación de áreas de oportunidad en el marco regulatorio de la propiedad industrial que permita facilitar las tareas del IMPI, lo que se traducirá en beneficios directos para los particulares y para la actividad económica en general. El acuerdo tiene una vigencia de tres años.

Fuente: IMPI

Cuarto Newsletter del INAPI de Chile

Rodrigo Ramirez Herrera @ramahr August 31, 2011 No comments:

Se encuentra disponible para ser descargado el cuarto Boletín informativo del Instituto nacional de Propiedad Industrial de Chile Inapi, correspodiente a Julio de 2011.

El tema de portada de este cuarto número es la consulta abierta impulsada por INAPI para recibir propuestas de organismos públicos-privados y la ciudadanía, respecto a posibles modificaciones de la Ley de Propiedad Industrial, antecedentes que el instituto evaluará para presentar un proyecto de Ley al Ministerio de Economía. Actualmente ya hay un proyecto de reforma de la ley 19.039 ingresada a tramitación este mes, referida a la estandarización de procedimientos de marcas y patentes con relación a los tratados internacionales vigentes. La publicación también contiene un espacio donde se abordan algunos aspectos técnicos y jurídicos de las patentes de invención, notas de actualidad y una columna de opinión, esta vez a cargo de la subdirectora de marcas, Indicaciones Geográficas y Denominaciones de Origen Carolina Belmar, acerca de la importancia de consultar las bases de datos de marcas comerciales para la toma de decisiones.

Fuente: Inapi (Comunicaciones)

e-marks: preparing for the Madrid Protocol?

Patricia Covarrubia August 30, 2011 No comments:

Rio de Janeiro, during the XXXI Congress of the International Intellectual Property, organized by the Brazilian Intellectual Property Association (ABPI), INPI presented the new e-marks in version 2.0. The system should be available to the public in October.

This method is said to be much simpler for the user, contributing to a further increase in trade mark applications in 2011 – INPI mentions that it could reach a high record of 150,000 requests, an increase of 15% compared to 2010. One issue that I note is that INPI talks about the future: “the new system will pave the way to organize multiclass applications and co-ownership - requirements to serve on the Madrid Protocol.” Do you get it? Does it mean that they are really going to be a member and follow Colombia?

To cope with so many trade mark applications, INPI will use later this year the Intellectual Property System Automation System (IPAS) developed by the World Intellectual Property Organization(WIPO) to streamline its internal processing.

Source INPI.

The Emerging Landscape of Indigenous Rights

Patricia Covarrubia August 29, 2011 No comments:

The University of Buckingham, UK, will be holding a conference on 5 October. This is sponsored by the Centre for Multi-Cultural Studies in Law and the Family, and is a roundtable conference on Indigenous Issues.

OVERVIEW:
There are over 300 million Indigenous Peoples in the world today. They are found in every part of the world—from the Saami peoples in Lapland to Indigenous Peoples in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and North and South America. There has been an increasing focus on the international rights of Indigenous Peoples since the 2007 approval of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. As the range of topics for this conference demonstrates, contemporary legal issues on Indigenous Peoples are both old and new. The relationship of Indigenous Peoples with the state, protection of Indigenous rights in expanding global economies, and respect for and the rights in Indigenous heritage are highlighted in the presentations at this conference.

A round-table discussion will follow the speakers’ presentations.
Registration begins at 1 p.m.
Opening of the Conference: 1: 45 p.m.

OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE AND INTRODUCTION:
Professor Susan Edwards, Director of the Centre for the Multi-Cultural Studies in Law and the Family.

OPENING ADDRESS:
Honourable Dr Jocelynne A Scutt, Chair of the Conference

SPEAKERS:
Fiona Batt: “Unbundling the Property/Heritage Rights in the Restitution of Ancient Indigenous Human Remains” University of Bristol
James Roffee: “Aboriginal Australians, Alcohol and Incest: Discourse Analysis of State Responses” University of Leicester
Dr Sarah Sargent: “The Republic of Lakotah: International Legal Personality and Sovereignty after the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” University of Buckingham
Dr Valentina Vadi: “When Cultures Collide: The Protection of Cultural Landscapes and Indigenous Heritage in International Economic Law” Maastricht University

I will be there! I cannot miss to chat with Fiona Batt -- while ago the IPtango members were intrigued to know more about her project titled: “Ancient Indigenous Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and Intellectual Property Rights”.
Your attendance at this would be greatly welcome. Please let Dr Sarah Sargent that you are attending.

Protection of traditional knowledge - share and protect

Patricia Covarrubia August 29, 2011 No comments:

Lima, will be the place to be if you want to discuss and analyze the protection of traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples. Representatives from 21 economies of the Asia-Pacific Cooperation (APEC) will meet on 1-2 September in the seminar "Successful Experiences in Implementing Tools for the Protection of Traditional Knowledge."

Peru will participate through Instituto Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia y de la Protecction de la Propiedad Intelectual (INDECOPI) explaining the experience that the institution has by promoting the registration of collective knowledge of indigenous people. They do for example prevent the granting of patent for inventions based on traditional knowledge and/or genetic resources. They do mention other types of protection out there such as: the classic systems of intellectual property, “sui generis" protection and preservation through organizations and government/institutions and public-private partnerships, databases and information systems, treaties and conventions.

Representatives will share their experiences from China, Thailand, Mexico, New Zealand, USA, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. In addition, non-member economies of APEC will also participate such as Brazil, India and Panama, who have policies and systems with relevant protection.

Source INDECOPI.

Brazil: a celebration of taste

Patricia Covarrubia August 26, 2011 No comments:

Brazilian Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI) has received another application for a Geographical Indication (IG). On Tuesday, August 23, 2011, INPI received an application that corresponded to ‘biscoitos de São Tiago’, a traditional biscuits from the Region Campo das Vertentes in Minas Gerais. Producers chose the mode indication of source (Indicação de Procedência) which bears out the tradition of a product in a particular region.

The application was filed by the Associação São-Tiaguense, producers of the biscuit, which is formed by 23 members. The business generates around 700 direct jobs and its weekly production is approximately 150 tons. The city is the headquarters of the Festa do Café-com-Biscoit (Coffee and biscuit Party), which annually brings back tradition and attracts local tourists.

INPI makes the note that to prepare the request, the city was aided by the Center for Technological Innovation (NIT) from the Federal University of São João del Rei (UFSJ), which is INPI’s partner. Also this action is supported by the Foundation for Research and Support of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG).

Surely they can celebrate the party with national products: a Cerrado Mineiro coffee (already a GI in the form of IS and pending a DO) and also some sweets: doces de Pelota served in Goiabeiras pots. If your taste is not that sweet, then try some shrimps: camarões da Costa Negra or some rice Litoral Norte Gaúcho or even better, a steak: Pampa Gaúcho da Campanha Meridional. However if you are not that hungry, then just walk around with a comfy pair of boots: Vale dos Sinos, enjoying a nice glass of wine: Vale dos Vinhedos and/or Pinto Bandeira – perhaps you like something stronger like Paraty. As the weather is sunny we recommend to wear a hat: Jalapão. Certainly we do not want you to be caught in the middle of any riots and see people throwing stones: Região Pedra Carijó-Paduana, Região Pedra Madeira-Paduana and, Região Pedra Cinza-Paduana; but is you are hit by one of them, don’t worry: treat yourself with some Manguezais de Alagoas.

Source INPI.

Price mechanism or pipeline mechanism?

Patricia Covarrubia August 24, 2011 No comments:

On 16 August 2011, the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice (STJ) held unanimously against the extension of the patent related to Actos(pioglitazone), a drug used to combat type 2 diabetes. This is another victory for the Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI) against an international laboratory.

The laboratory was seeking to extend the patent from January 2005 to January 2011 using the mechanism established by Brazilian legislation called pipeline. Through the mechanism, the patent would have a year to be made to INPI and worth the time remaining in the country in which it was first filled without extensions. This is the understanding that the STJ has also held in other cases (check here and here).

This sentence holds special implications to the country where local manufacturers receive significant support from its government. A patent expiration would enable local manufacturers to produce and sell Actos at nearly half the price of the original drug.

Source INPI.

Chile: Proyecto de ley estandariza tramitación de solicitudes de marcas y patentes

Rodrigo Ramirez Herrera @ramahr August 23, 2011 No comments:

No sólo cuestiones relacionadas con el movimiento estudiantil tienen ocupado al Congreso chileno. El Jueves 11 de agosto fue ingresado en la Cámara de Diputados (cámara baja del sistema bicameral chileno que comprende también un Senado) el Proyecto de ley N°7862-03 de iniciativa del Ejecutivo, que tiene por objeto modificar la Ley N° 19.039 sobre propiedad industrial a fin de estandarizar y mejorar el proceso de solicitud de marcas y patentes.

La modificación se basa en la necesidad de adecuar la legislación interna a los tratados internacionales suscritos por Chile en materia de Propiedad Industrial, tales como el Tratado de Cooperación en materia de Patentes (PCT) y el Tratado sobre el Derecho de Marcas (TLT).

En cuanto al PCT, según informa el Mensaje del Ejecutivo, a casi dos años de su entrada en vigor en Chile se han detectado algunos aspectos que pueden ser modificados en la ley nacional, a fin de lograr un mejor funcionamiento del sistema de presentación y recepción en la fase nacional de las solicitudes de patentes de invención y de modelos de utilidad. De ahí que sea necesario establecer reglas de rango legal que perfeccionen estos aspectos y otorguen el máximo de seguridad jurídica a los usuarios. Algunas modificaciones propuestas son: a) Incorporación expresa de normas generales y definición de términos del PCT en la legislación nacional: por ejemplo definir el concepto "Solicitud internacional", establecer al INAPI como Oficina Receptora, establecer el español como idioma oficial de las solicitudes internacionales, etc,; b) Plazos de entrada en fase nacional y vigencia de derechos.

Con relación al TLT, establece sólo obligaciones de carácter formal pero no contempla un procedimiento alternativo de presentación de marcas comerciales, sino que señala un estándar que deberá ser observado por la oficina nacional de registro al momento de tramitar las solicitudes. Por ello, con relación al TLT, la reforma apunta a dos objetivos fundamentales:

a) Simplificar los procedimientos nacionales para el registro de marcas; y b) Establecer un marco regulatorio relacionado con cuestiones de procedimiento en las solicitudes de marcas, es decir, la estandarización de los requerimientos formales.

No obstante no contener normas de carácter sustantivo, es posible apreciar ciertas disposiciones que podrían entrar en conflicto con normas de la Ley N° 19.039, por lo que se hace necesaria una adecuación de este último cuerpo legal.

A la tramitación de este proyecto se le dio suma urgencia.

Brazil and the antidepressant market : changing the mood

Patricia Covarrubia August 23, 2011 3 comments:

The vice-president of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), Minister Felix Fischer, restored the power of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) to grant registration of generic medicines and the like, based on the active ingredient escitalopram (antidepressant).

Background

The judge of first instance had decided that ANVISA refrain from granting registration to a third party not authorized by Lundbeck Brazil Ltda - producer of Lexapro, the reference medical product – to use test results and data of the dossier sent by the company for the registration of the drug.

Also, the court held the invalidity of any drug registration already granted based on this dossier, in particular those obtained by companies Aché Pharmaceutical Laboratories S/A and Biosintética Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which are manufacturers of similar drugs. The judge applied the term of ten years to protect the rights of data exclusivity – in this case due to expire in September 2012.

Final decision

According to Minister Fischer, the decision of first instance has a “negative effect of erecting barriers to the participation of manufacturers interested in producing similar or generic drugs”. Therefore, the suspension of the sentence is advisable "in order to avoid the risk of weakening the national policy of generic drugs in the country". To that effect, the Vice-President of the Supreme Court re-establishes the power of ANVISA to register generic antidepressants with the said ingredient.

Note that the Brazilian drug market is governed by technical regulations and is regulated by a National Health Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), which is a financially autonomous regulatory agency linked to the Brazilian Ministry of Health under management contract. No drug can be produced, imported, put for sale, or distributed in Brazil without registering with ANVISA.

Process number SLS 1425. Full decision can be found here.

Counterfeit Medicines – Enforcement and Intelligence

Patricia Covarrubia August 22, 2011 No comments:

Last Friday, 19/08/2011, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) published in the Official Gazette, the ban on the import and use in the country of Levitra 20 mg (a medicine used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (impotence) ) lot BXB8551 because it is not genuine - counterfeit product. The fraud was discovered during a seizure of imported goods conducted by Anvisa’s team of ports and airports in Sao Paulo.

The real drug is manufactured by Bayer SA, which reported that the original batch was manufactured in 2002 – expiration date 2005.
The seizure is final and is effective immediately after publication of the measure in the Official Gazette.

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.