Fact-finding mission to MERCOSUR and Chile

The IP Key project journey through Latin America started with a first visit to MERCOSUR countries and Chile, where the project was presented to 95 stakeholders gathered in 30 meetings across seven major cities in the region. More than 100 ideas for future activities and areas of mutual interest were discussed and considered for inclusion in the project’s first Annual Work Plan.

Among local IP offices, user associations, ministries and enforcement authorities, Delegations of the EU in the region as well as European and local industry association, the project met also with the Secretariat of MERCOSUR in Montevideo.

Buenos Aires, Argentina (18-19 September)

• Meetings with the EU Delegation in Argentina
• Meeting with the Industrial Property and Copyright Offices (INPI and DNDA)
• Meeting with the Presidency and Secretariat of the Ibero-American Project on IP (IBEPI)
• Meeting with EU industry representatives
• Meeting with the Under-Secretary for Foreign Trade and his team, Ministry of Production
• Meeting with Trade Counsellors of EU Member States
• Meeting with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DG International Cooperation)

Asunción, Paraguay (20 September)

• Meeting with the Office of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
• Meetings with the EU Delegation in Paraguay
• Meeting with Counsellors of EU Member States and French Chamber of Commerce
• Joint meeting with IP Office (DINAPI) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Montevideo, Uruguay (22 September)

• Meetings with the EU Delegation in Uruguay
• Meeting with Counsellors of EU Member States and Chambers of Commerce (Nordic, French, German)
• Meeting with the MERCOSUR Secretariat Director and technical staff
• Joint meeting with the Industrial Property Office (DNPI) and Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (25 September)

• Meeting with the Office of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
• Meeting with the United States IP Attaché for the MERCOSUR countries
• Meeting with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI)

Brasilia, Brazil (26 September)

• Meeting with the National Confederation of Industries (CNI)
• Meeting with Counsellors of EU Member States
• Meeting with a delegation of the Swedish Patent and Trade Mark Office
• Meeting with the EU Delegation in Brazil
• Meeting with the Ministry of Industry

Sao Paulo, Brazil (27 September)

• Meeting with the German Chamber of Commerce holding rotating chairmanship of Eurochambers
• Meeting with the Federation of Industries of the State of Sao Paulo (FIESP)
• Meeting with the UK IP Attaché in Brazil

Santiago, Chile (28 September)

• Meeting with the EU Delegation in Chile
• Meeting with EU industry representatives and Trade Counsellor (France)
• Meeting with the Industrial Property Office (INAPI)
• Meeting with the Intellectual Property Department at Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Buenos Aires, Argentina (29 September)

• Joint meeting with the EU Delegation in Argentina, INPI representative and UK Ambassador in Argentina