Component 3 for Intellectual Property Rights, implemented by the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), in collaboration with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and its Inovateca platform, as well as the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), organised two webinars in June and July to strengthen the strategic use of intellectual property in the creative industries.

Aimed at Brazilian students, designers, cultural entrepreneurs and researchers, the events offered key tools to protect and economically valorise creations through copyrights and industrial designs, thus contributing to regional efforts to foster creativity and innovation.

26 June : Creativity and copyright in the digital age

This first seminar addressed the current challenges of copyright in the face of technological progress, bringing together experts from Europe and Brazil. Through three thematic panels, they discussed:

• the impact of new technologies on authorship,

• the protection of fashion, jewellery and print creations,

• and rights in the video games industry.

The session provided practical examples and in-depth analysis of how copyright can safeguard creative content across multiple digital platforms.

3 July : Protecting industrial design in the digital economy

The second seminar focused on the role of design as an economic and creative driver. Experts from EUIPO and INPI explored the strategic value of industrial design, its legal foundations and benefits in Brazil and the EU. The emerging challenges posed by 3D printing were also discussed and case studies from academia were presented, illustrating effective protection strategies.

These sessions are part of EUIPO's ongoing engagement with MERCOSUR countries to strengthen IP capacities, foster innovation and improve the governance of the IP system in Latin America.

Through the sharing of knowledge on copyright and design, the aim is to boost competitiveness, sustainability and economic growth in the region's creative industries.

In addition, EUIPO makes available to the public a number of pan-European tools and portals that facilitate access to protected content. These include Agorateka, which allows the identification of legal content online, and the databases of orphan works and out-of-commerce works, which provide centralised access to creative materials at European level.