Colombia set to tighten up trademark protection
The International Trademark Association (INTA) has entered into a partnership with the Colombian authorities to tighten up protection for brand owners.
The agreement, with the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce of the Republic of Colombia (SIC), will seek to improve harmonisation in the region, enhance the role of trademarks in development and increase cooperation between the government and the private sector.
INTA’s chief executive Etienne Sanz de Acedo and SIC Superintendent José Luis Londoño Fernandez signed a memorandum of understanding on behalf of both organisations in the Colombian capital, Bogota, on August 22.
“Colombia has a lot to offer to the international community on the issue of trademark protection and we hope that, with the signing of this agreement, we can help improve organisations which are dedicated to these issues,” Londoño Fernandez said at the time.
According to INTA, trademark applications in Colombia have more than doubled over the last decade, with more than 30,000 applications filed in 2012.
“Through this, and similar agreements we have with the Brazilian and Mexican IP offices, INTA is reinforcing its efforts in Latin America—a region of growing economic importance,” said de Acedo.
INTA is a global association of trademark owners and works on policy development, education and training. Its members include more than 6,500 trademark owners, professionals and academics from more than 190 countries.
SIC is part of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia and is responsible for safeguarding the rights of consumers.
