Brazil's National Directory: a new initiative to deal with counterfeits

IP Tango has received news of a new initiative to help combat trade mark piracy in Brazil: it's the National Directory for the Combat of Counterfeit Trade Marks.  This is a virtual space created by the combined efforts of the Brazilian Patent Trade Mark Office (BPTO), the Ministry of Justice, Federal Revenue Service and Military and Federal Police. Apparently it is already up and running and the BPTO has described it as being available to public organisations with powers of enforcement and as being

“an information system with the goal of optimizing customs and administrative proceedings in cases where the public agent identifies indications of trade mark counterfeit”.

Access to the Directory must be requested by the owner of the trade marks or the trade mark attorney, through the filling and sending of the proper forms. Currently, there are no official fees involved, and the BPTO intends to keep the service free.

This blogger is curious to see how the Directory will work. Inevitably comparisons will be made with the EU's Observatory, even though the structure, functions and powers of the two institutions are quite different.

IP Tango will be pleased to hear from readers who have had any experience of the Directory.

Source: "BPTO Launches the National Directory for the Combat of Counterfeit Trademarks", news item from Di Blasi Parente & Associados (here), from which further information is available.