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PATENT VALUE


BRAZILIAN REFORMS


PROGRESS AT LAST: BRAZILIAN IP REFORM


There have been signifi cant changes in trademark and patent practice in Brazil in recent years. Philippe Bhering assesses the most signifi cant.


T e Brazilian Patent


and Trademark Offi ce


(INPI) has been engaged in an ongoing process of implementing technical and practical measures aimed at substantially reducing the backlog of work at the patent and trademark divisions. It has also been working on major new projects and has taken steps to streamline and formally set out its position on certain controversial issues in the fi eld of trademarks.


So far as trademarks are concerned, the INPI launched an online filing system in 2006, as part of its campaign to tackle the application backlog and related delays. This has proved


to be an effective measure. In 2006, shortly after the system was introduced, only 12 percent of applications were filed online. By 2012 online applications made up 74 percent of the total.


Trademark applications fi led online are dealt with more rapidly, and at a lower cost to the applicant compared to


paper applications.


However, the specifi cation of products and services for online requests must fall into pre- determined categories provided by the INPI, ie, applicants do not have a completely free rein in describing such products/services.


84 World Intellectual Property Review September/October 2013


Nowadays, all formal requests to the INPI may be submitted online.


In addition, an INPI recruitment drive (also aimed at


reducing backlog) led to the


appointment of several new examiners and support staff , with a consequent signifi cant and continuing increase in the number of decisions rendered. Between 2004 and 2006, 62,790 trademark applications were granted (an average of 20,930 per year), whereas between 2010 and 2012 the number of grants increased almost threefold to 180,339, representing an average of 60,113 per year.


www.worldipreview.com


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