December 2016 saw the last weeks of the year with the eagerness of some Latin American countries to start cooperating more. Therefore, future plans were discussed by PROSUR Directorship Committee.Back in 2009, WIPO received a letter signed by nine Latin American countries which have agreed on a regional project “to develop a common platform that allows the integration, exchange of information and system compatibility for the nine participating countries.” – known as PROSUR due to involve South (SUR) American countries.
Besides the plans for the new year ahead, the extension of funding was also covered (by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)). The Latin American countries which are part of the PROSUR regional cooperation system of IP are: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Uruguay, WIPO also participated. From Central America, Costa Rica also joined the group and there are talks for expansion of PROSUR. That said, PROSUR members “announced the entry of the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua from 2017.” [will this also see the change of the name to PROSURCENTRAL?]
The patent national offices of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay had already started a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program.
Source INPI.