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!

Friday 26 December 2014

Rodrigo Ramirez Herrera @ramahr

En Chile reconocen a «Alfarería de Quinchamalí» como Denominación de Origen

El Instituto Nacional de Propiedad Industrial de Chile (INAPI) otorgó el reconocimiento a la «Alfarería de Quinchamalí» como Denominación de Origen (D.O.). El signo tiene como titulares a la Unión de Artesanos de Quinchamalí tras un proceso iniciado en octubre de 2013.

El registro Nº 1144015 está referido a la D.O. «Alfarería de Quinchamalí» para productos de la clase 21 del nomenclátor con el siguiente contenido indicado en la resolución: Piezas de alfarería del tipo utilitaria y ornamental, de color negro logrado por la quema y el ahumado directo en base a combustible de guano o paja, decorado con elementos fitomorfos o geométricos pintados en blanco sobre el negro de la pieza;de la clase 21 del Clasificador Internacional de Niza. 

Según indica su solicitud corresponde a la alfarería producida en localidades de Quinchamalí y Santa Cruz de Cuca, comuna de Chillán, Provincia de Ñuble, Octava región del Bio-Bio.Chile. 

Coordenadas UTM correspondientes a la localidad de Quinchamalí 19H 195256,53025; 5941299, 30781, 19H 193583,76482; 5939253,16299, 19H 196890,16663; 5939138,04115, 19H196233,62327; 5936992,82289.

Coordenadas UTM correspondientes a la localidad de Santa Cruz de Cuca 19H 193282,87296; 5936969,34912, 19H 195883,94256; 5934819,84481. 

En una ceremonia realizada en el Centro de Eventos de Quinchamalí, el Director Nacional del INAPI Maximiliano Santa Cruz, hizo entrega del título del signo distintivo con el que se busca promocionar y proteger comercialmente productos típicos del país, fomentando el desarrollo local. Con éste, son 12 los productos que cuentan con el sello.

Para Mónica Venegas, Presidenta de la Unión de Artesanos de Quinchamalí este reconocimiento es “algo
muy importante por lo que hemos luchado casi 2 años. Si bien es cierto, nuestro trabajo es algo único que se realiza en el país, pero es fundamental destacarlo, porque nos comparan con otras gredas y tenemos que explicar nuestro discurso; que nuestro trabajo es manual, ancestral, que no ha cambiado con el tiempo....por lo que esta Denominación de Origen nos da el sello, la certificación, que sí somos nosotras las creadoras de este oficio, de este arte”. 

Fuente: Constanza Zülch (Comunicaciones INAPI)
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Jeremy

Costa Rica: retrograde reform for representation?

IP Tango learns of some interesting developments in Costa Rica, relating to the status there of the "attorney-of-fact".  According to the information received:
Under the Costa Rican legislation, it is necessary to submit a power of attorney when appearing as a representative of a company or an individual before the Trademark Office and Patent Office. This document requires very simple formalities, such as being acknowledged by a notary public, and does not necessitate any sort of legalisation. In the absence of this requisite at the time of filing, the local rules allowed representatives to file applications and related actions as attorneys-in-fact, provided that the power of attorney was filed within the following three months for international companies, and within a month for domestic entities.

However, Official Guideline DRPI-0004-2014 (dated October 23 2014, published in the Official Gazette on November 10) of the Industrial Property Registry established new requirements for the filing of applications and related actions as attorneys-in-fact.

Specifically, the use of this mechanism is subject to the presentation of a certificate of good standing of the company at issue, or of a life certificate or proper identification in the case of individuals. In both cases, the documents must be legalised when they have been issued abroad. Paradoxically, although powers of attorney do not currently require legalisation, the Industrial Property Registry conditioned the use of this mechanism on the presentation of the documents described above, as provided in the local Civil Procedure Code. If the requested documents are not submitted at the time of filing or after the Trademark Office or Patent Office has issued an office action, the application or related action will be archived and it will not be possible to reactivate it [One might ask who actually benefits from this? What will it do to facilitate business and commerce, to encourage greater use of the IP system or to enable it to run more efficiently?]. This is quite worrying, since applications claiming priority would be at risk if the additional documentation is not filed on time. ...
This development is predicted to cause problems and is seen as a retrograde step in the smooth operation of the country's IP system.

Source: "Industrial Property Registry sets new rules for attorneys-in-fact" by Esteban Monge (Zürcher Lawyers, San Jose), from World Trademark Review, 14 December 2014
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Wednesday 24 December 2014

Jeremy

Brazil abandons 35mm film in favour of digitisation

"ANCINE and BNDES to Finance digitization of movie theaters in Brazil" is the news from a bulletin issued by Brazilian law firm Di Blasi, Parente & Associates. The news goes like this:
"Main movie distributors will no longer continue to market the 35mm film medium as of 2015, so the Brazilian government has created the “Cinema Close to You” program promoting the adaptation and installation of new movie theaters with a new digital technology standard, as well as expanding the movie internal market in Brazil.

It is a joint effort between the National Film Agency (ANCINE), Ministry of Culture, National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) and the Audiovisual Sector Fund (FSA). According to the BNDES, the following items can be the subject of special financing under the program:
(i) acquisition in the national market or import of new digital projectors compatible with the DCI standard (“Digital Cinema Initiatives”), as well as processing units, parts and accessories thereof;

(ii) acquisition in the national market or import of digital sound processing units;

(iii) customs, insurance and transport costs;

(iv) installation and assembly costs;

(v) acquisition of necessary furniture and fixtures for digital projection;

(vi) management and technological training, training and certification costs;

(vii) equipment for signal reception;

(viii) equipment that is necessary for the assembly of the operation center.
The “Cinema Close to You” program will enter into force on January 31, 2015, and a financing program of US$309,000 has already been granted to Quanta DGT – Telem Group – so that 770 movie theaters belonging to national enterprises can make the switch to the new digital technology standard".
Presumably this will both boost cinema attendance through the provision of higher quality video and sound experience and assist those involved in piracy and unlicensed commercial activities. It will be interesting to see which benefits more: the legitimate or the illegitimate sector.
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Friday 19 December 2014

Patricia Covarrubia

Something for everyone

    No comments:
Carlos Agusto Conde-Gutierréz, lecturer at Universidad Externado de Colombia, contacted the blog to invite all our subscribers to read 'Revista la Propiedad Inmaterial', No 18.

The magazine is published annually. It contains a wide diversity of IP areas such as biotechnology, new technologies, sui generis rights, patentability and trade marks among others. This year, it covers jurisdictions such as Singapore, Mexico and Colombia. In general, it can be said that the magazine has something for everyone.

Some of the articles are published in English while others in Spanish and can be read here for free.

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Monday 8 December 2014

Jeremy

Uruguay joins El Salvador, commits to Marrakesh

According to Marrakesh Notification No. 4: Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled, the Government of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay, on 1 December 2014, deposited its instrument of ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty -- but it won't come into force till it reaches the required number of ratifications or accessions in accordance with Article 18 of that Treaty, ie three months after 20 eligible parties have signed up for it.

At present the number stands at four (you can check here to see whether more have signed up since) but at least this is positive news for Latin America. Of the four, two countries -- a full 50% -- are from Latin America, the other being El Salvador (the other countries being India and the United Arab Emirates).
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Friday 5 December 2014

Gilberto Macias (@gmaciasb)

Los derechos de autor y de marca detrás del ‘Chavo del 8’

Roberto Gómez Bolaños, creador de los famosos personajes como ‘El Chavo del 8’ y ‘El Chapulín Colorado”, falleció el pasado 28 de noviembre a los 85 años. La fama del comediante mexicano y de sus personajes traspasó fronteras, convirtiéndose en todo un ícono en América Latina y ostentando una importante fama a nivel mundial.

Además de los numerosos recuerdos que deja en varias generaciones, también deja peleas por la autoría sobre sus personajes y, evidentemente, sobre los ingresos que ellos generan.

La serie de ‘El Chavo del 8’ se convirtió en un producto exitoso, con más de 30 años transmisión y de retransmisión, que facilitó la construcción de una marca, lo cual representó un proceso contrario a lo normal, que es construir previamente la marca y luego lanzar el producto. Por ello puede decirse que la marca nació ‘sin querer queriendo’.

Actualmente Televisa comercializa la marca El Chavo. Bimbo, McDonald’s, Barcel y Kellog’s son algunas de las empresas que han adquirido los derechos de la marca.

Respecto a los derechos de autor, la propiedad sobre la serie y los personajes han significado y seguirán significando una enorme entrada de dinero para sus herederos y Televisa. Según Forbes desde 1992, cuando El Chavo del 8 dejó de emitirse, Televisa ha obtenido un estimado de 1.700 billones de dólares por derechos de autor ya que el canal es dueño de los derechos audiovisuales sobre la serie y sus producciones hermanas.

Pero no todo lo que reluce es oro alrededor de las series y personajes creados por Gómez Bolaños, sonoras han sido las peleas legales que mantuvo por los derechos sobre ‘La Chilindrina’ y ‘Quico’.

Más información aquí, aquí, aquí  y con nuestros amigos de @marcasur



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