Industrial Design

The Global Innovation Index 2024, launched by WIPO includes a new indicator that compares an economy's level of development with the impact of its social enterprises, recognizing these ventures for their ability to drive transformative innovation across sectors. These enterprises, often overlooked in traditional models, are contributing significantly to GDP and societal progress by addressing global challenges through innovative solutions.

The iconic plastic sandal, known as ‘medusa’, or by various other names such as ‘skeleton’, 'jelly', and ‘lêkê’ in different regions, with flexible structures and affordable prices, continues to delight customers globally, showcasing their enduring popularity after 75 years in the market.

When exporting a product, it is advisable to have Intellectual Property (IP) related to that product in the market of destiny. In addition to providing rights to explore the asset (trademark or a design, for example) in exclusivity, having IP in the market where the goods are exported lowers the probability of facing customs obstacles. This is what several Chinese companies and individuals do every year in the European Union (EU), filing trademark (EUTM) and design (RCD) applications.

According to recent information on the Portuguese Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) website, the 2024 edition of the SME Fund is scheduled to be launched on January 22nd.

The Inventa IP Review magazine highlights some of the IP news of the previous year, written by our team, through opinion articles, interviews or press releases. We cover relevant topics that have marked the field of innovation, trademarks, patents or intellectual property rights.

Angola continues to recognise IP rights as an important contribution to a country’s social and economic development and in the last IP Bulletin issued (4/2023), published statistics related to the years 2020 to 2022.

Overall, 2022 was marked by an increase in the request for protection of several rights of Industrial Property, where the demand levels for trademarks and other distinctive signs of trade were 23% higher than those recorded in 2021.

The National Institute of Industrial Property of Angola (IAPI) has expanded its coverage, and since October 30, 2023, it has started to use and accept the list of terms from the Harmonized Database of Product Indications (HDBPI) in DesignClass, as well as the list of terms from the Harmonized Database for brand classification (HDB) in TMClass.

DesignClass/HDBPI allows for the searching and translation of product indications in 30 languages, while TMClass/HDB enables the searching and translation of classification terms in 37 languages.

Tiago Reis Nobre and Vítor Palmela Fidalgo represented our firm at the AIPPI 2023 World Congress in Istanbul. Throughout the four-day event, both actively engaged in numerous sessions spanning a wide range of IP topics. They connected with peers and friends from all over the globe, discussing the latest developments in IP from Europe and Africa.

Additionally, they had the chance to visit the ARIPO booth, where Inventa is proud to be a co-exhibitor, and was graciously hosted by Mr. John Marius Kagwa.

The latest edition of The Legal 500: Intellectual Property Comparative Guide is now available, making it possible to explore the contribution of Vitor Palmela Fidalgo and João Pereira Cabral regarding Intellectual Property laws and regulations applicable in Portugal.

On August 2, 2023, the government of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe deposited its instrument of accession to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin (AOs) and Geographical Indications (GIs), which will enter into force on November 2, 2023.