Best foot forward: developments at the INPI

01-09-2013

Marcelo de Oliveira Müller

Best foot forward: developments at the INPI

The Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office has been struggling for quite some time to provide a better level of service, adequate to an important governmental body in a country whose economy has improved exponentially on the global stage. Marcelo de Oliveira Müller takes a look at recent developments.

Although at this point the examination of both patent and trademark rights can take years to reach a conclusion, changes have been occurring, especially with regard to trademarks, and it is with relief mixed with caution that we see the current administration at the Brazilian patent office (INPI) taking several steps towards attempting to improve its services.

The INPI has established task forces aiming at providing faster results and has been adopting practices more in line with international trends, which seems to be a preparation for possibly joining the Madrid Protocol at some point in the future.

We have seen the establishment of internal rules and practices that are geared towards results, an important step towards clearing the large backlog of pending applications, especially those subject to administrative disputes.


INPI, patent, trademark, Brazil, WIPO,

WIPR