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!

Monday 28 October 2013

Patricia Covarrubia

Brazil: Another GI for a regional product.

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In the month of October, the Brazilian Instituto Nacional da Propiedade Industrial (INPI) granted a Geographical Indication (GI) in the form of Indicação de Procedência. The Associação dos Produtores Artesanais de Cachaça, in the Salinas region ( Apacs ) received, at a ceremony held at the INPI , the said certificate. The Salinas region includes Novorizonte, and part of Taiobeiras, Rubelita, Santa Cruz de Salinas and Fruta de Leite. It produces approx. 5 million litters of cachaça per year.

Cachaça is a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice, usually used as an ingredient in tropical drinks – caipirinha being one of the most well-known cocktail. This is the second GI granted to Cachaça in Brazil.

Nivaldo Gonçalves das Neves, Apacs’ president, notes that such recognition will prevent falsification of the drink and will allow consumers to have greater security at the time of consumption; moreover, it will promote regional progress. The recognised GI will start to circulate from January 2014.
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Monday 21 October 2013

Patricia Covarrubia

Brazil: will patent terms be changed before the proposed amendment to the law gets the green light?

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The Brazilian INPI’s Procuradoria submitted 34 actions in the Federal Court of Rio de Janeiro  to correct the validity of 247 agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals patents.

The action concerns the validity of the patents in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry that were requested in Brazil between January 1995 and May 1997. The intention is to correct the term of these patents, which may be reduced.

Background
On January 1995, Brazil adopted the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Related Rights (TRIPS )  and thus, started to protect under patent law, all  technological fields -- including chemical and  pharmaceutics that Brazil did  not allow until then.

Developing countries were permitted certain transitional periods (up to 10 years) to enact new laws that compliant with TRIPS. Nevertheless, Article 70.8 TRIPS establishes that developing countries that opted to take this transitional period were required to allow inventors to file patent applications on pharmaceutical and agrochemical products beginning on January 1, 1995 -- despite the fact that the granting of the patent could be delayed up until January 1, 2005.  This provision of the TRIPS Agreement is known as the ‘mailbox’ provision.
Brazil introduced a new legislation (No. 92790 of 14 May 1996) but patents application for pharmaceutical and agrochemical products could be filed since January 1995. The law also provides that a patent should be granted protection for a period limited to 20 years from the date of the application/deposit. Moreover, Art 40 of the same law grants patent protection beyond 20 years when the granting of a patent exceeds 10 years – to compensate for the delay. This latter procedure is been revised (see Jeremy’s post here re. Brazil’s Proposed Patent Law Reforms) and thus, INPI’s Procuradoria argues that the coverage of the 20 years should be counted from the day of the filing.
Indeed, TRIPS does define the objective to be attained and it is for member countries to establish their procedures. At the moment proposals to amend the Paten Law are on their way – specifically to this case, one of the proposal is to revoke Article 40 of Law No. 92790, since Article 33 of the TRIPS only requires that “The term of protection available shall not end before the expiration of a period of twenty years counted from the filing date.” Therefore, there is no requirement for patent term extensions to compensate for delays.

Brazil would like to correct  the time period granted to patent; and indeed they have the right to do so, but is Brazil forgetting the general principle of ‘legal certainty’?. Should this amendment to the law have retroactive effect?
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Friday 18 October 2013

Jeremy

Brazil ponders patent reform

In case you think that Brazil's only interest in intellectual property rights is that which pertains to geographical indications (on which see Patricia's recent posts here, here and here), here's some evidence that this vast and multi-faceted jurisdiction is concerned to get its patent law just the way it wants it. The following changes to Brazilian patent law are currently under consideration:
1. Various restrictions on the patentability of new compounds, being “salts, esters, ethers, polymorphs, metabolites, pure form, size of particles, isomers, mixtures of isomers, complexes, combinations and other derivatives of a known substance";

2. The introduction of an opposition period and

3. The abolition of term extensions.
Further details are available here, while there's some background information here.
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Patricia Covarrubia

Brazil is lacing up

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The Brazilian Journal of Industrial property published on 24th September (No 2229) brings the news that the Instituto nacional da Propiedade Industrial (INPI) had granted a GI certificate to ‘Renda do Cariri Paraibano’ produced by local artisans.

The Cariri Paraiba was awarded an Indicação de Procedência (Indication of Source), a type of GI that refers to the name of the place that has become recognized as producing a producr or service – in this particular case the good in question is ‘handmade lace’

The cities that comprise the geographical boundaries of the said GI are: Congo, Prata, Sumé, Monteiro, Zabelê, Camalaú, São Sebastião do Umbuzeiro e São João do Tigre. The Conselho das Associações, Cooperativas, Empresas e Entidades vinculadas a Renda Renascença do Cariri Paraibano (CONARENDA) is the entity responsible for the GI.
CONARENDA’s president, Ms Nubia Pinheiro said the Association intends now to use ‘labels’ indicated the GI granted.


This is the second GI granted in Brazil regarding ‘handmade lace’. Last year INPI granted a GI in the form of Indicação de Procedência to ‘renda irlandesa de Divina Pastora’ located in Sergipe.
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Wednesday 16 October 2013

Rodrigo Ramirez Herrera @ramahr

Chile: Solicitan Denominaciones de Origen de productos manufacturados de Doñihue y Quinchamalí

El martes 15 de octubre se presentaron ante el Instituto Nacional de Propiedad Industrial de Chile (INAPI), las solicitudes para el reconocimiento como Denominación de Origen  de dos productos manufacturados:  los chamantos y mantas de Doñihue y de la alfarería de Quinchamalí.

Esta postulación ha sido patrocinada por Gonzalo Sánchez Serrano, presidente de la Fundación Hacer Chile y la emprendedora social Jeannette von Wolversdorff, quienes han prestado su colaboración a los productores para organizarse y levantar esta petición para su reconocimiento. La actividad se enmarca en el Programa “Sello de origen”, desarrollado por el Ministerio de Economía en conjunto con INAPI, que fomenta el desarrollo local, reconociendo y retribuyendo el esfuerzo y trabajo de los artesanos de la zona, mediante la protección y posicionamiento de sus productos, de manera que para los consumidores, éstos sean fácilmente diferenciados con este sello, respecto de productos similares, con el fin de impulsar el emprendimiento y desarrollo productivo de comunidades del país.

De ser aceptados, los “chamantos y mantas de Doñihue” y la “alfarería de Quinchamalí” se sumarían al limón de Pica, el atún de Isla de Pascua, la langosta y cangrejo dorado de Juan Fernández, la Sal de Cahuil, Boyeruca, Lo Valdivia y a la alfarería de Pomaire, que han sido distinguidos como productos singulares y con una fuerte vinculación local.

Los “Chamantos y mantas de Doñihue”, pertenecientes a la sexta región y a la “Alfarería de Quinchamalí”, producidas en las localidades de Quinchamalí y Santa Cruz de Cuca, octava región, son productos con una larga tradición. Su reconocimiento se espera contribuya al rescate de la cultura local, incremente la demanda por estos productos originarios e incentive el establecimiento de nuevas rutas turísticas en esas regiones.

Fuente: Constanza Zülch Barrios (Encargada Comunicaciones Institucionales INAPI)
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Friday 11 October 2013

Gilberto Macias (@gmaciasb)

El Salvador - Tras 14 años fallan a favor de Perú contra Chile por el Pisco

La Sala de lo Contencioso Administrativo de la Corte Suprema de Justicia (SCA) falló a favor de la República del Perú en el litigio contra Chile por la denominación de origen del Pisco. Finalmente se reconoció a Perú como el lugar de origen del Pisco.

El fallo de la SCA anula la decisión del Centro Nacional de Registros (CNR) que reconoció al Pisco como originario de Chile en 2005.

Con el fallo de la SCA se reconoce en El Salvador a Perú como único lugar de origen del Pisco e impone restricciones a Chile para que pueda usar el nombre ‘Pisco’ en su territorio.

El debate de la denominación de origen del Pisco viene de muchos años atrás, ambos países se han estado disputado el uso exclusivo del nombre. Los chilenos, argumentan que ellos logran una mayor producción de la bebida y un mayor consumo, sin embargo, han sido
más países los que le han dado la denominación de origen a Perú.
 
La principal diferencia entre la bebida espirituosa peruana y la chilena es el grado alcohólico mezclado con la uva: el pisco peruano tiene 45 grados en tanto que el chileno 27 grados, lo cual hace que se le tilde de “aguardiente” en Lima.
 
En Santiago el pisco peruano se comercializa, pero no como pisco sino como “destilado de vino”. En Lima ese licor chileno no se vende.
 
Que opinaran nuestros colegas de #IPtango Rodrigo (@ramahr) y Aurelio (@lucentinus)? Seguro que no comparten opinión.
 
Más información aquí y aquí.
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Wednesday 2 October 2013

Rodrigo Ramirez Herrera @ramahr

INAPI encabeza reunión del Medicines Patent Pool para mejorar acceso a medicamentos para el VIH

El Medicines Patent Pool es una organización respaldada por Naciones Unidas que ofrece un modelo de negocio enfocado a la salud pública y tiene como objetivo reducir los precios de los medicamentos para el VIH y facilitar el desarrollo de mejores medicamentos para esta enfermedad en los países en desarrollo. Fue fundada en 2010, a petición de la comunidad internacional con el apoyo de UNITAID (mecanismo innovador de financiamiento auspiciado por la Organización Mundial de la Salud- OMS, creado por iniciativa de los presidentes Jacques Chirac de Francia, Lula Da Silva de Brasil y Ricardo Lagos de Chile) y representa una respuesta al incremento en la necesidad mundial de medicamentos a precios asequibles y apropiados para el tratamiento del VIH en países en desarrollo.
Medicines Patent Pool ha conseguido firmar acuerdos de licencia que cubren diversos tratamientos, poniéndose además en marcha una base de datos con la situación en que se encuentran las patentes con el fin de ayudar al acceso a la información sobre qué medicamentos contra el VIH están patentados y en qué países. La base datos es única en el mundo y ha sido de utilidad para agencias de compra de medicamentos, análisis de política, investigación académica y para grupos pro-acceso.
A la cabeza del Pool está un directorio, que a su vez es asesorado por un grupo consultivo de expertos. El Director Nacional de INAPI chileno Maximiliano Santa Cruz, es actualmente el jefe del grupo.
El 1 de octubre se realizó en Ginebra, Suiza, una reunión en la que se discutió cómo mejorar la base de datos. A la reunión asistieron más de veinte expertos internacionales entre los que se encuentran representantes de agencias que compran medicamentos, tales como UNICEF, Global Fund, Médicos sin Fronteras, Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) y la International Development Association (IDA) del Banco Mundial; de organismos internacionales como la Organización Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual (OMPI), UNITAID, la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), y de algunas oficinas de patentes y ONGs relacionadas con este tema.

"La Base de Datos del Pool es el esfuerzo más grande que se ha hecho en términos de disponibilizar información útil para salvar vidas. Las oficinas de propiedad intelectual deberíamos tomar más responsabilidad en cuanto a hacer aún más accesible y digerible la enorme información tecnológica, jurídica y bibliográfica que manejamos para que entregar más certeza jurídica sobre qué está y qué no está protegido", afirmó el Director Nacional de INAPI desde Ginebra, Maximiliano Santa Cruz.  
Fuente: INAPI (Constanza Zülch, Comunicaciones INAPI)
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Patricia Covarrubia

The race for national GIs has started

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Monday this week, the iptango blog posted the new Normative Instruction (IN) No 25/2013 regarding the conditions for the registration of Geographical Indications (GI) in Brazil. At the end of the post I mentioned that this was perhaps going to give a boost to national products and it was indeed a good time since Brazil is hosting two major sport events in the near future i.e. World Cup and the Olympics.

Today, I received the ‘Revista da Propiedade Industrial’ (IP magazine) No 2230, 01 October, 2013 and guess what?! INPI granted yet another GI for a national product. This time, an Indicação de Procedência (Indication of Source) was approved for wine producers in the region of Belo Monte. The certificate is granted to wine producers in the said region represented by the Associação dos vitivinicultores de Monte Belo do Sul (APROBELO).


In reality, I do not think this has something to do with the forthcoming events. According to the magazine Globo Rural, this project started in 2008 when 12 winemakers from Belo Monte felt inspired by the “success of the Vale dos Vinhedos in Bento Gonçalves” the only Brazilian region that at the time did have a GI certificate (an Indication of source and later on, a denomination of origin).


Indeed, the granting of another GI to a wine is not to be taking as a bombshell. In particual, INPI informs that in the Belo Monte region the “wine industry represents more than 90% of the agricultural production" which counts for "40% of the municipal GDP".

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Tuesday 1 October 2013

Gilberto Macias (@gmaciasb)

Corona (Mexico) - Top Most Valuable Latin American Brands of 2013

Brazilian oil giant Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras SA is no longer Latin America’s most valuable brand. Instead, Mexico’s popular Corona beer has been crowned as the top name in the list of brands to watch, according to the BrandZ index of 2013 compiled by brand consultancy Millward Brown Optimor.

Corona, which was sold to Belgian beer company Anheuser-Busch InBev in June, grew 29 percent in “brand value” in the last year – up to $6.62 billion. Millward Brown cited the “strong financial performance” of Corona’s parent company and a “solid brand positioning which is popular with consumers worldwide.”
 
Petrobras, the Brazilian energy giant which topped the ranking in 2012 with a value of US$10.6bn, is now in fourth place with a value of US$5.8bn.
 
The Top 10 Most Valuable Latin American Brands 2013 are:


The growing muscle of Mexican Brands' also has overtaken Brazil as the country to claim the highest percentage of the total brand value of the Top 50.
 
The BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Latin American Brands 2013 looks at brands from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Together, these nations represent around US$4,75 trillion in GDP, the equivalent of the world's fourth largest economy after Japan.

More info: 
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