São Paulo – The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce will hold on July 30 a series of lectures about trademark registration in the Arab countries. The lecturers will be Souto, Correa, Cesa, Lummertz & Amaral Advogados partner Mariana Vicentini Taylor, Arab Brazilian Chamber certification analyst Laércio Zeferino, as well as quality certification company Intertek general manager Danielle Cordeiro and export coordinator Diva Nascimento.
Under the theme “Trademark registration as a competitive tool in the Arab world,” the lecturers will talk about protection systems and registration strategies, considerations on trademark definition, national brands, and anti-piracy efforts. The event is exclusive for the Arab Brazilian Chamber members.
For the attorney Mariana Vicentini, studying trademark registration is a key process for business success. “I’ll talk about the importance to protect a brand, the relationship to distributors and local partners. Being able to know beforehand if you can register according to the country’s brand regulations and the meaning the name has in that culture, and how not to infringe others’ rights,” she explained.
She stresses the importance of researching trademark registration in the chosen country. “It’s important for avoiding problems later. You can have an overview, both in the Arab countries and any other country,” Vicentini pointed out. Having presented a workshop about the theme last year at the Arab Brazilian Chamber (pictured above), she says the lecture will bring new topics. “The Madrid Protocol will come into force in October in Brazil. We’re waiting for the final draft, but it’ll certainly bring some new points, which we can discuss at the lecture,” she said.
The Madrid Protocol has 120 member countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Syria and Oman, and is managed by the World Industrial Property Organization (WIPO). The Protocol’s entry into force is expected to make registering a given trademark under several different categories, as is the case currently in Brazil, to be not as necessary. “Nowadays, for instance, if you intend to export clothing, you must register your clothing brand under one category and the sale of clothing under another,” explained Vicentini.
The event will also cover aspects of Egypt’s regulations. “Special attention will be given to Egypt due to a few changes in registration requirements that were made in 2016. We will give an overview so companies doing business right now or in the future will know what it takes,” said Zeferino regarding information from Egypt’s General Organization for Import and Export Control (GOEIC).
Another relevant aspect when it comes to exporting to Egypt is a discount to be made available under the Mercosur-Egypt free trade agreement. According to Zeferino, from September on there’ll be a 30% discount on the Import Tax on goods under the agreement’s “category D,” which will likely boost sales to the Arab country. Information will also be provided on prohibited and restricted goods, factory and product registration, exporters’ and importers’ responsibilities, required certificates, export registration, product entry processes, and mandatory packaging and labeling requirements.
Quick facts
Trademark registration as a competitive tool in the Arab world
July 30, 2019
8:30 am – 10:30 am
Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce – Avenida Paulista, 283 – 11th floor, São Paulo, SP
Register here
Translated by Guilherme Miranda & Gabriel Pomerancblum
