Brazil: Progress and looking ahead -- facilitating online services

The Brazilian Instituto Nacional da Propiedade Industrial (INPI) is now facilitating access to online search system of trade marks, patents, industrial designs, and computer programs. It all started last Tuesday, October 14.

There is a direct link and thus access to the database without going through login/password page. However, if you would like to have access to a wider content and thus, production of documents, you should register. This latter appears to be a straightforward and easy process i.e. just filing out certain details – as far as I am aware nothing to do with ‘payment/fee’ details as the Venezuelan IP office requires (see previous post here).

Registration, while not crucial, comes divided into three sectors: 1.- Client (natural or legal person domiciled in the country); 2.- Lawyer or Attorney without special qualification (representing a client in the requested services); and 3.- Industrial Property Agent.

This new addition complements previous online services such as: ‘e-marcas, electronic view of petitions, and ‘push’.