Discusses IP protection.
Last Published: 9/5/2019

Brazil has been on the USTR Special 301 Watch List since 2007 and the annual Special 301 report includes comments on Brazil. This designation reflects significant concerns with respect to high levels of counterfeiting and piracy in Brazil, including internet piracy, as well as concerns regarding the long delays in the examination of patents. Currently, the reported average pendency is approximately 10 years.

A wealth of information on protecting IP is freely available to U.S. rights holders. Below is a list of several reliable resources for companies regarding intellectual property: 

  • Information about patent, trademark, or copyright issues, including enforcement issues in the United States and other countries.
  • Brazil-specific resources
  • For more information about registering trademarks and obtaining patents in the United States as well as in foreign countries, contact the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) at 800-786-9199.
  • Registering for copyright protection in the United States
  • For information on obtaining and enforcing intellectual property rights and market-specific IP Toolkits, visit the STOPfakes website. The toolkits contain detailed information on protecting and enforcing IP in specific markets and contain contact information for local IPR offices abroad and U.S. Government (USG) officials available to assist small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

In any foreign market companies should consider several general principles for effective protection of their intellectual property. For background, link to our article on Protecting IP and Stopfakes.gov for more resources.
CS Brazil also has an IP Attaché based in Rio:

Laura Hammel
IP Attaché  
U.S. Consulate General, Rio de Janeiro
Telephone: +55 (21) 3823-2497
USPTOBrazil@trade.gov

Prepared by the International Trade Administration. With its network of more than 100 offices across the United States and in more than 75 markets, the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.