Speeding up the patent process in Brazil

A recent Supreme Court decision altered rules for patents in Brazil. While causing some consternation, the country's patent office has worked hard to reduce its backlog, making the process increasingly faster and more straightforward

Left-wing protesters ask for Brazilian authorities to lift vaccine patents. Photo: Vinicius van Coolwijk/Shutterstock

Jul 28, 2021 10:41 4 min read

Brazilian laws governing patents have undergone a major change in recent months. Under previous rules, all patents in the country were valid for 20 years counting from the date of filing, or ten years from the date of approval — whichever comes last. This provision was originally brought in to mitigate the negative effects of delays in the patent analysis process, which in many cases can take well over ten years.

But this rule was challenged in a Supreme Court case and, in May, justices decided that the validity of patents ten years after approval was unconstitutional, essentially neutering the...

Access all of The Brazilian Report

Start your 7-day free trial.

Free trial

Close search

Load more results

Speeding up the patent process in Brazil

A recent Supreme Court decision altered rules for patents in Brazil. While causing some consternation, the country's patent office has worked hard to reduce its backlog, making the process increasingly faster and more straightforward

Access all of The Brazilian Report

Start your 7-day free trial.

Bolsonaro off-script speech leaves Brazilian diplomats fuming

By depicting an unreal Brazilian reality, Jair Bolsonaro undermined diplomatic efforts to restore Brazil’s credibility at the United Nations

Mr. Impeachment

Former Justice Minister Miguel Reale Jr. has penned impeachment requests which ousted two presidents. He’s now aiming at a third

Supreme Court seat remains vacant amid political tug-of-war

Jair Bolsonaro appointed André Mendonça to a Supreme Court vacancy in July, but the Senate is stalling his confirmation hearing for as long as possible — a move led by Brazil's answer to Mitch McConnell

Brazilian Health Minister sows distrust in vaccines for teenagers

In a surprise move, Marcelo Queiroga announced that the government has removed teenagers without prior health conditions from the national vaccination plan. Some states, however, plan to ignore the directive and continue as normal

Bolsonaro wants a fresh start at UN General Assembly

Brazilian diplomats work to convince Jair Bolsonaro to bury the hatchet with the global community at next week's UN General Assembly

Government launches new mobile loan scheme for low-income citizens

Supreme Court unlikely to intervene in justice confirmation process in the Senate

What Boris really asked of Bolsonaro in New York

Feds arrest Bolivian flight safety expert involved in Chapecoense air disaster

Brazilian diplomacy keeps mum on Chile’s “virus of populism” remarks

Is Brazil’s so-called ‘rent inflation’ on its last legs?

Rental contracts in Brazil are not adjusted each year by the official inflation rate — instead, they follow another index, which has ballooned due to increased commodities prices around the world

Higher interest rates alone won’t protect Brazil from stagflation

Experts say the Central Bank's decision to increase the Selic rate will not have the desired effect on inflation — and that the country's problems are far deeper

Agribusiness firms suspected of using public funds to influence politics

Major agribusiness firms are able to offset their tax bills and see money funneled back into their coffers. One Supreme Court justice believes these funds were used to fund anti-democratic protests

The ‘Chloroquine Brothers’ behind government-backed trials on unproven Covid drugs

Evidence shows that two major HMOs are continuing to distribute unproven coronavirus treatments to patients, often putting pressure on doctors to prescribe ineffective drugs

Labor inspectors fine Nespresso and Starbucks supplier

Labor inspectors found cases of wage theft on the family farm of Carlos Augusto Rodrigues de Melo — president of a billionaire coffee cooperative

Tech Roundup: Brazil’s 5G auction scheduled for November

The most important news about tech and innovation in Brazil

Privatization of Brazilian data holders faces snags and widespread criticism

The Brazilian government's plans to privatize massive data handlers Dataprev and Serpro was criticized from the get-go, and now the process is set to face lengthy delays

Tech Roundup: Asian giants invade Brazilian e-commerce

The most important news about tech and innovation in Brazil this week

Communications Minister promises 5G in São Paulo before year-end, even with delays

Brazil is finally on the home stretch in its long wait to auction off 5G frequencies. New delays have cropped up, but the government is confident that 5G implementation will begin before the end of the year

Brazilian researchers working on combined Covid-19 and flu vaccine

Researchers in Minas Gerais and São Paulo plan to use the influenza virus as a vector to provide immune responses against flu and Covid-19. Added funding will be needed to take the project to clinical trials

Explaining Brazil #170: Peronism facing an existential crisis

Last week's midterm primaries in Argentina delivered what was arguably the worst electoral defeat Peronism has ever suffered. But the problem goes beyond short-term woes

Explaining Brazil #169: Bolsonomics

The government has delivered very little and has been a source of instability for the Brazilian economy. So what keeps market agents from turning on Bolsonaro?

Explaining Brazil #168: How to react to Bolsonaro?

Bolsonaro is threatening to disregard Supreme Court rulings from now on. So how should the political system react to a president who doesn't want to play by the rules?

Explaining Brazil #167: A nation holding its breath

In six days, pro-Bolsonaro supporters will stage demonstrations in multiple cities. The unfolding of Brazil's political crisis depends on how big the turnout will be

Explaining Brazil #166: Will Brazil have its own January 6 riots?

Many fear September 7 could be Brazil's own version of the U.S. Capitol riots. Given the local scenario, a similar movement could be bloodier

Chile and Uruguay sign public health collaboration deal

Germany makes CoronaVac U-turn after loosening travel restrictions

Covid deaths rise in 12 Brazilian states

80 percent of Brazilians say coronavirus pandemic is under control

Bolsonaro’s son and his Agriculture Minister test positive for coronavirus

Coronavirus mutates much more regularly in Brazil

Brazil has long been a hotbed for coronavirus mutations and variants, but a new study shows just how quick the virus is changing and adapting around the country, making worrying reading for health experts

Border blockage in northern Brazil causes shortages in Guyana

In protest against Covid restrictions on crossing into Guyana, residents of a Brazilian border town are blocking roads — and creating havoc

The story of Paraisópolis: a living example of Brazil’s inequality

While undergoing drastic transformations over the years, Paraisópolis serves as a living reminder of the country's dramatic inequality

Jean-Paul Belmondo: That Man From Brasília

Legendary French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, who died this week at the age of 88, played an important role in showing off Brazil's brand-new capital city in the 1960s

A day in the life of a military interventionist

Amanda Audi spent Independence Day shadowing a notorious far-right influencer, who believes military intervention is the only way to improve Brazil

Abandoned Amazon land can advance decarbonization plan

Forest regrowth can help compensate for carbon emissions from deforestation. But one new study argues Brazil isn’t doing nearly enough of it

Brazil set to be devastated by climate change

A new IPCC report shows how rising sea levels, floods, and droughts will impact the country if emissions continue to rise

Brazil’s Atlantic Forest will change more in next 50 years than any time since last ice age

Using data from the past 21,000 years, researchers have tried to predict the immediate effects of climate change on parts of Brazil's Atlantic Forest — the results are startling and a reason for concern

Big Agro continues its anti-regulation charge

Congress is leading the charge to lift environmental regulations in the Amazon rainforest, continuing the work started by President Bolsonaro

Restoring pastures could be a boost to cattle farming in Brazil

The expansion of cattle farming in Brazil is often linked to deforestation, but a recent study shows that environmentally responsible practices could be a way to increase the sector further

Peronism is in crisis. But what exactly is it?

Peronism has long troubled foreign commentators looking for an easy way to describe it. Ideologically amorphous, it has been home equally to left nationalists and right-wing neoliberals

Unions up the pressure on Uruguayan President Lacalle Pou

Anger over hastily passed reforms has driven workers to the streets, with the president’s previously high approval ratings – driven by a good pandemic performance – taking a hit

In Argentina, Peronism humbled by shock primaries

Tough primaries were on the cards for President Fernández, but unprecedented defeat leaves him close to losing Congress