EUIPO introduces IP for SMEs initiatives to Latin American IP Offices

On 16 March, the EUIPO held a meeting to introduce the SME initiatives to the six Latin American countries that have a memorandum of understanding with the EUIPO.

Authorities from INPI Argentina, INPI Brazil, INAPI Chile, SIC Colombia, IMPI Mexico and INDECOPI Peru attended the meeting and learned about the recently launched Ideas Powered for Business project, a 20 million euro grant scheme created to help European small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) access their intellectual property rights. Ideas Powered for Business aims to help businesses develop their IP strategies and protect their IP rights, at national, regional or EU level.

The EU-funded project, IP Key LA, also presented its initiatives dedicated to SMEs in the Latin American region, such as the seminars on IP solutions for SMEs working in Latin America, which will take place next April .

In addition, each of the participating IP offices shared their own initiatives on supporting and promoting IP to SMEs.