Mexico is a nation of 130 million people and is one of our nation’s closest trading partners. However, there seems to be some reluctance for U.S. companies to file patent applications in Mexico. This reluctance makes little sense when you consider that Mexico is right next door to the U.S. and is already a major US trading partner. Millions of consumers and many industries provide opportunities for U.S. businesses to expand their business in that friendly county. In order to do so while protecting their intellectual property, it follows that patents and trademarks should be filed in Mexico. With a new patent grant initiative between the U.S. and Mexico the process has been streamlined and made easier.
In order to encourage expansion of cross border business between our two countries, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) have launched a Parallel Patent Grant (PPG) initiative. The plan is for Mexico to expedite the grant of a Mexican patent where an invention has already received a patent in the US.
There has been a worldwide effort to simplify and make the patent system more user friendly since the early 1980s. This is the latest in those efforts. According to Andrei Iancu, immediate former Director of the USPTO, “the PPG is a revolutionary development in our global worksharing cooperation and, more importantly, in our economic and trade relationship with Mexico.” Further emphasizing the importance of the PPG for patent protection in Mexico, Juan Lozano, Director of IMPI, stated “this groundbreaking agreement sends a positive message to the world about collaboration between countries and its relevance to propel patents and innovation, key motors of development. . . . The USPTO-IMPI cooperation is especially relevant to US stakeholders that have investments in Mexico to accelerate their patent protection.”
The Maxham Firm has extensive experience with filing patents and trademarks in foreign countries, in particular, with IMPI, and we look forward to aiding clients in expanding their businesses and receiving their patent grants in Mexico.
If you have questions about expanding your business and receiving a patent grant in Mexico call us at 760-975-3843 or e-mail us today and we’ll be happy to set up a consultation with you to discuss your next steps.
Written By: Lawrence A. Maxham
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