News

Mercado Livre has announced a strategic partnership with LaLiga, one of the world’s leading football leagues, to combat digital piracy in Latin America.

The initiative integrates the Mercado Livre Anti-Counterfeiting Alliance (Maca), which promotes collaboration with Intellectual Property rights holders. The agreement aims to detect, report, and remove illegal content, services, and devices that infringe LaLiga’s audiovisual rights, including pirate IPTV services and adapted devices that grant unauthorized access.

Key goals of the agreement include:

• Strengthening audiovisual rights protection in the region;
• Raising awareness of the impacts of digital piracy;
• Establishing best practices in IP protection within the online environment.

According to Paula Fernández Pfizenmaier, Intellectual Property Director at Mercado Livre, the collaboration reinforces the company’s commitment to a safe digital ecosystem for trademarks and users.

For LaLiga, the alliance marks a crucial step toward ensuring a fairer digital environment for the industry, content creators, and fans.

The Economic Development Committee of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies has approved Bill No. 3553/21, establishing more explicit rules for the role of the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BPTO) in court actions seeking the nullity of patents and trademarks.

The bill aims to enhance legal certainty and expedite these proceedings. The approved text provides that the BPTO:

• Will be summoned to comment after the deadline for the patent or trademark owner’s defense.
• May choose not to contest or may change its position in the case of public interest is involved;
• Will have the autonomy to remain in the proceedings even if the plaintiff withdraws or settles with the defendant.

The substitute text, presented by Congressman Vitor Lippi (PSDB-SP), seeks to strengthen the BPTO’s autonomy and reduce costs and delays.

The bill will now be analyzed by the Committees on Industry, Trade, and Services, as well as the Committee on Constitution and Justice.

The Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies is holding a public hearing today (9) to discuss how AI technologies impact copyright protection.

The session is part of the review of Bill 2338/23, which proposes a risk-based classification of AI systems, distinguishing between traditional AI and generative AI.

Regarding intellectual property, the bill allows the use of protected content only for non-commercial purposes by research institutions, journalism, museums, archives, libraries, and educational organizations. In commercial contexts, copyright holders may prohibit the use of their works or demand compensation for their use.

This debate highlights Brazil’s efforts to strike a balance between technological innovation and copyright protection.

Colgate has been granted the status of a highly renowned trademark by the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BPTO), joining the exclusive group of 1,933 brands currently recognized as such in Brazil.

This designation confirms the brand’s high distinctiveness and strong recognition among Brazilian consumers, being associated with prestige, tradition, and quality. As a result, it enjoys special protection across all market sectors, in accordance with Brazil’s Industrial Property Law (Law No. 9,279/96).

The recognition of a highly renowned trademark must be requested before the BPTO through a formal petition, supported by evidence of the requirements established in Ordinance No. 08/2002, which was recently updated following a public consultation closed in May 2025.

Want to learn more about securing recognition and protection for your trademark in Brazil? Get in touch with Tavares IP.

A joint operation by the Civil Police, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the State Secretariat of Agriculture resulted in the largest seizure ever recorded in Brazil against the illegal seed trade. Authorities seized over 3,000 tons of counterfeit seeds across 14 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul, resulting in estimated losses of $ 6.5 million for those involved.

According to Croplife Brazil, seed piracy practices include replacing certified seeds with common grains and using genetically modified seeds without paying royalties, violating biosafety regulations and intellectual property rights. Beyond financial losses, the risks include the spread of pests and herbicide-resistant weeds, which pose a significant threat to national agriculture.

Rio Grande do Sul has been identified as the central hub of this illicit activity, with counterfeit seeds often being transported to other states. It is estimated that soybean seed piracy generates $2 billion in annual losses in Brazil, with $200 million occurring in Rio Grande do Sul alone.

The free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union was officially sent this Wednesday (September 3) to the 27 EU member states, following approval by the European Commission. The treaty introduces significant measures, including tariff reductions, cooperation on environmental issues, and enhanced intellectual property protection, all of which are key to boosting international trade.

The agreement’s classification will determine the next steps. If deemed “exclusive”, involving only EU competences, provisional application will require ratification by the European Parliament. However, if considered “mixed”, covering areas that require national approval, it will depend on ratification by all 27 national parliaments — a process that may take years.

Follow Tavares IP’s blog for updates on how this agreement could shape trade and intellectual property frameworks in Brazil and Europe.

A survey conducted by Nexus – Research and Data Intelligence, based on information from the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BPTO), revealed the sectors with the highest number of patent applications related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Brazil over the last six years.

According to the study, healthcare (25%), industry (14.4%), and agribusiness (8.3%) led the way in filings between 2019 and 2024, out of a total of 264 applications analyzed.

Despite the growing interest, only 3% (8 applications) have been granted so far. Most applications remain under review or have not been approved.

Evolution of AI Patent Applications

The period of greatest activity was between 2020 and 2022:

• 2020: 64 filings
• 2021: 77 filings
• 2022: 78 filings (peak)

Starting in 2023, a significant decline was observed, with only 13 applications registered.

Of the patents granted, five were from Brazilian authors, two from Americans, and one from China. The average review time was approximately 2 years and 11 months.

Connection with the National IP Strategy

The National Intellectual Property Strategy (ENPI), in its 2023-2025 Action Plan, set a goal of reducing patent examination time in Brazil.

• In December 2022, the average was 6.9 years;
• The target is 3 years by June 2025;
• And from 2 years to 2026.

This acceleration is seen as essential to keep up with the dynamics of innovation in disruptive areas such as artificial intelligence.

Main areas of application of AI in patents

Healthcare

• cancer diagnosis,
• insulin measurement,
• improved teleconsultations,
• prediction of heart problems,
• motor rehabilitation,
• hospital waiting list management.

Industry

• predictive maintenance,
• machine learning applied to productivity,
• worker safety,
• quality inspection,
• production of plastic and simulated food.

Agribusiness

• animal monitoring,
• grain classification,
• pest control.

Other notable sectors include energy (7.9%), finance and sales (7.9%), AI systems development (6%), telecommunications (5.7%), and mobility (5.7%).

Filing Profile

The study shows that 59.8% of applications are from Brazil and 40.5% are from abroad. The United States leads the international field (57.9%), followed by China (23.6%) and South Korea (4.7%).

Among the companies, the following stand out:

• Huawei (China): 18 filings
• Petrobras (Brazil): 8 filings
• AIxScan (USA, healthcare): 5 filings
• Paige (USA, healthcare): 5 filings

In Brazil, federal universities (such as UFMG, USP, Unicamp, UFPE, among others) are among the main filers, demonstrating the role of academia in the production of knowledge and technological innovation.

What the scenario reveals

The survey highlights not only the diversity of AI applications in Brazil, but also the international competition for the Brazilian market, with strong participation from companies in the United States and China.

“Although some Brazilian institutions stand out, the significant participation of foreign companies shows how the United States and China have worked to dominate the Brazilian market in this technology,” highlighted Marcelo Tokarski, CEO of Nexus.

At Tavares IP, we closely monitor intellectual property developments in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence. Our team is available to assist companies and institutions seeking to protect their innovations in Brazil.

Contact us

The Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) has published the study “CADE’s Contributions: Standard Essential Patents”, which analyzes the strategic role of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) and their competitive impacts in highly technological sectors such as telecommunications, consumer electronics, the automotive industry, and IoT.

Released in early August, the document remains highly relevant by placing Brazil in the global debate on SEPs — a topic already consolidated in jurisdictions such as China, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

The study highlights critical points:

• The absence of specific regulation in Brazil.
• Risks of anticompetitive practices;
• And the challenges of harmonization in international disputes.

At Tavares IP, we closely follow these discussions because SEPs are at the core of innovation and international competitiveness. Understanding their evolution is essential for companies seeking to invest in and protect cutting-edge technologies in Brazil.

Read CADE’s full report here: Contribuições-do-Cade-Patentes-Essenciais.pdf

On August 11, BPTO’s President Júlio César Moreira and Luo Wen, Minister of China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), met to discuss bilateral cooperation on Geographical Indications (GIs). This initiative follows the memorandum of understanding signed in May this year, which sets out actions to enhance mutual GI protection, combat counterfeiting, promote information exchange, and organize joint events and training activities.

The Brazil–China partnership seeks to expand the protection of recognized GIs in both countries, fostering the value of origin-based products and boosting international trade. Currently, Brazil has 149 GIs registered with BPTO, while China has 2,861 protected products.