Protected Geographical Indications (GIs) are a powerful tool for sustainable development, prosperity, and preservation of traditional know-how and local culture. Increasing awareness of their importance in these functions was the goal of a one-day online workshop on to the protection and enforcement of GIs in Mexico, organised by IP Key LA and IMPI Mexico.

IP Key LA carried out its first activity on ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Intellectual Property: Challenges and Opportunities for Europe and Latin America’. The two-part activity involved Intellectual Property Offices (IPOs) of Latin America countries.

The Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP), INPI Brazil, and IP Key LA co-hosted the virtual seminar Blockchain and Intellectual Property: Protection, traceability of products and combating counterfeit. Taking into account the interrelationship of blockchain technology and intellectual property, the seminar focused particularly on the potential to improve IP protection.

The Mexican Institute of Industrial Property invited European experts to participate in the ‘Online Seminar on Combating Piracy in the Digital Environment’, which took place on 8-9 December 2020.

In the countries of the European Union and Latin America, SMEs account for 99 % of all businesses. They are a key element of both economies. According to the EUIPO and the OECD, in the last 8 years SMEs have created about 85 % of net new jobs and provided around two thirds of the total private sector employment in the EU. In Latin America, SMEs account for 67 % of employment.

The PVR Enforcement Online Seminar took place from 30 November to 2 December. It was jointly organised by IPKey China, the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) of the People’s Republic of China.

In order to strengthen customs enforcement to combat counterfeiting and piracy in EU-China trade, both parties have since 2009 an Action Plan concerning customs cooperation on IPR.  In this context, the EU and China have taken concrete steps to develop closer cooperation to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of IPR enforcement.

In light of the recently signed EU-China GI agreement, on 2 December IP Key China organised a webinar on the protection of geographical indications in the online market. The webinar was organised in cooperation with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) and the China Anti-infringement and Anti-counterfeiting Innovation Strategic Alliance (CAASA).

The webinar aimed to facilitate knowledge exchange between the stakeholders involved in the e‑commerce of GIs in China.