FIFA goes against piracy and for the defense of intellectual property

March 05, 2008

The FIFA and the Brazilian National Industrial Property Institute (INPI in Portuguese), announced today an agreement to fight against piracy and in defense of intellectual property.

The President of the FIFA, Joseph Blatter, and the President of the INPI, Jorge Ávila, signed this agreement protocol in Zurich.

The general cooperation with the national Brazilian registry has the aim of supporting the protection of FIFA trademarks in Brazil, before the 2014 World Championship takes place, focusing on prevention more than on punishing.

The INPI has decided to take advantage of the FIFA trademarks registration program in Brazil as a model to educate the public over the intellectual property protection.

As part of the agreement, the INPI and FIFA shall coordinate their actions with other Brazilian entities, within the same frame of activities, such as customs, police and Attorney General Office.

Both institutions share the idea that protection of registered trademarks, together with educational and informative actions, is extremely important when fighting against piracy; thus, they agreed to join efforts to develop common strategies.

The INPI shall also use his net of branches in all Brazilian territory to inform the public about FIFA intellectual property and the program against forgery of products.   

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