Brazil’s IP Fast Lane: What You Should Know About BRPTO Acceleration Programs

By Silvia Boechat and Ana Carolina Corrêa

Over the past few years, the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BRPTO) have stepped up efforts to reduce the time to examine and grant protection for different types of Industrial Property assets. 

One example is the registration of computer programs, which nowadays takes about seven days to be granted. Because no substantive examination of the protected content is required, the procedure has been streamlined, making it significantly faster and simpler. 

For assets such as patents, trademarks, and industrial designs, however, the protection process can be considerably more time‑consuming. In these cases, it is essential to be aware of the acceleration programs made available by the BRPTO, which allow examinations to be expedited under certain conditions.  

In the field of patents, there are currently 18 acceleration programs available. In addition to the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH), which leverages a positive examination conducted by foreign patent offices for cases within the same family, there are options for green technologies, innovations already available in the Brazilian market, and technologies aimed at treating specific diseases, among others.  

For trademarks, there is also a wide range of acceleration possibilities. For example, trademarks involved in judicial disputes or related to products or services whose patents benefited from acceleration programs may qualify for expedited examination. 

The expedited examination for industrial designs is currently under public consultation. In addition to providing regulation for programs directed to elderly applicants, individuals with physical or mental disabilities, or those suffering from severe illnesses, the BRPTO is also proposing fast-track programs for designs involved in judicial disputes, related to products or services whose patents benefited from acceleration programs, ICTs (Scientific, Technological and Innovation Institution), Start-ups, among others. 

In some situations, acceleration can even be requested without additional fees, making the process more accessible. 

Understanding these programs and using them strategically is essential to ensure greater efficiency in protecting intellectual property assets. Companies that master these mechanisms secure competitiveness, which is a key advantage in today’s dynamic marketplace. 

To learn more about the various acceleration programs and how your company can benefit from them, contact us at cobo@coboip.com. We will be pleased to assist you.