Brazil has taken a meaningful step toward strengthening its intellectual property enforcement infrastructure. On April 7, 2025, the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BPTO) and the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN) signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement (ACT) targeting counterfeiting, piracy, and biopiracy. For international companies with IP assets in Brazil, the agreement signals a clear shift: IP protection is becoming a matter of national strategic priority.
What the Agreement Covers
The ACT establishes a broad cooperation framework between the two institutions, including:
- Protection of sensitive BPTO knowledge related to anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy operations
- Safeguarding ABIN’s own IP in its capacity as a Scientific, Technological, and Innovation Institution
- Information sharing and provision of specialized technical services
- Joint development of research, development, and innovation projects
BPTO also expressed interest in joining the Brazilian Intelligence System (Sisbin) — an unprecedented move that would embed the IP authority within Brazil’s broader state intelligence apparatus.
BPTO’s New Intelligence Unit
A detail worth noting for those tracking Brazil’s regulatory environment: in December 2025, BPTO launched a dedicated internal unit focused on intelligence-driven anti-counterfeiting operations. Partnering with ABIN is the logical, strategic next step.
At the signing ceremony, BPTO President Júlio César Moreira stated plainly that ABIN’s involvement would be transformative for protecting Brazilian patents and advancing the agency’s enforcement capacity.
Why This Matters for International IP Holders
For brand owners, patent holders, and companies with IP-intensive operations in Brazil, the agreement carries concrete implications:
- Enhanced investigative capacity to detect and dismantle counterfeiting and piracy networks
- Stronger institutional enforcement of IP rights, historically fragmented across agencies
- Expanded protection against biopiracy, critical for sectors such as cosmetics, pharma, and food
- A positive signal to foreign investors that Brazil is raising its IP protection standards
The BPTO-ABIN alliance marks a meaningful shift in Brazil’s approach to IP protection, moving from a predominantly administrative model toward a strategy that incorporates state-level intelligence capabilities. For companies that rely on the integrity of their IP assets in Brazil, tracking these institutional developments is just as important as registering trademarks and filing patents.
Tavares IP monitors Brazil’s IP regulatory and institutional landscape to provide strategic counsel to domestic and international clients. Contact us to learn how to protect your assets with both legal precision and strategic foresight.
