According to Circular 3/2018 of Uruguay’s PTO, the payment of official publication fees related to trademarks is no longer required as from August 2018, with the exception of renewals during the grace period.

Trademark owners and applicants can already benefit from this decision, saving costs and time.

The Circular has been recently made available online and can be accessed here.

The Brazil Patent & Trademark Office (BRPTO) published on August 21, 2018, the Resolution No. 223/2018 implementing the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot program between the Denmark Patent & Trademark Office (DKPTO) and BRPTO. The aim of this Resolution is speeding up the examination of pending Brazilian applications, with an application from the family allowed by the DKPTO.

According to this Resolution, the Applicant may request fast-track examination for a Brazilian patent application whose DKPTO has been issued a “Notification to Grant” or “Intention to Grant” letter for an application from the same family.

The latest reform on Mexican IP legislation will come into force on August 10, 2018, adapting trademark regulation to those of other Madrid System countries.

According to the new definition, brands will be any sign perceptible to the senses and susceptible of being graphically represented, capable of distinguishing goods or services from others of the same kind or class in the market”. Therefore, the registration in Mexico of the so-called non-traditional trademarks will be allowed.

The acquired distinctiveness or "secondary meaning" will be recognized, meaning that marks in principle not suitable for registration because they are considered descriptive or lack of distinctive character, can be registered when their effective use in commerce is proven.

Since 2015, Brazil has signed several agreements to set in motion diverse pilot Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programs, speeding up applicants’ requests that fall under their umbrella. The use of previous examination work rendered by counterpart Offices, becomes a key aspect in that sense.

PPH, Brazil & UK: the PPH program between the BRPTO and the UKIPO will be in force from August 1^st, 2018 until July 31^st, 2020 and will accept up to 100 patent applications per year that have been first filed with one of both Offices.