IP Key Latin America - Official launch in Buenos Aires

Today the project IP Key Latin America is officially launched at the premises of San Martin Palace in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The launching event is attended by Mr Antonio Campinos, Executive Director of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), Mrs Aude Maio-Coliche, Ambassador of the European Union in Argentina; Mr Dámaso Pardo, President of the National Institute of Industrial Property in Argentina (INPI); Mr Miguel Ángel Margáin, Director General of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) and representatives of the European Commission and the EU Delegations in Latin America.

Furthermore IP Key Latin America is represented by Mr Pedro Duarte, project leader in Buenos Aires and Mr Ricardo Ferreira, deputy project leader in Mexico

Directed by the European Commission and implemented by the EUIPO, IP Key aims to facilitate economic exchanges, trade and investment between EU and Latin America, while developing a level playing field as regards IP protection. IP Key will provide support to EU firms seeking for business opportunities or already doing business in Latin America through a range of activities. Overall, the project is designed to strengthen IP protection and raise awareness about its importance as a driver of economic growth.

Through close cooperation with Latin American stakeholders and the involvement of the industry, academia, enforcement and judicial authorities, the IP Key project will:

• Cover the full intellectual property lifecycle;
• Encompass a wide spectrum of IP rights; patents, trade marks, designs, geographical indications, copyright, trade secrets and plant varieties;
• Focus on IP enforcement, collaborating with enforcement authorities to train Latin American judges dealing with intellectual property matters;
• Provide and extend access to online IP search database to increase the global transparency of IP rights.