INPI Brazil huge effort in reducing the patent and trade mark backlog

Brazil has kept up its efforts to improve the protection and enforcement of IPR over the reporting period. The Brazilian IPR Office (INPI) continues reducing the patent and trade mark backlogs. INPI has reported a substantial reduction of the backlog in patent examination, passing from 15,134 pending applications in October 2022 to only 1,052 in March 2025.

However, INPI continues to report more difficulties in reducing the backlog for trade marks, as the number of applications remains higher than the number of decisions. The recruitment of new examiners has not solved the issue, as the number of applications continues to increase.

Finally, INPI has set ambitious targets to achieve shorter decision times for patent and trade mark examinations by 2026. Stakeholders continue to report improvements in enforcement, with increasing numbers of raids and seizures of counterfeits every year. São Paulo continues to be mentioned as an example of best practices to improve enforcement measures to prevent the sale of counterfeits in the city. It has reportedly seized large quantities of counterfeit goods and continues working to shut down and maintain closed shopping malls that distribute counterfeits. 

The role of the State Specialised Police Department (Departamento Estadual de Investigações Criminais or DEIC) in anti-counterfeiting measures also continues to be praised. Right holders have also commended seizures of several thousand counterfeit products by the Federal Road Police. Some stakeholders also report an increase in the number of specialised courts. Right holders can supply information to help customs intercept counterfeit imports, including now products infringing geographical indications, through a database called Sistema de Combate à Pirataria.