The Universidad Externado de Colombia opened the second Latin American Observatory to organize research projects and academic forums to enhance the discussion on Intellectual Property.

To promote research and development in Colombia and Latin America, the Externado University’s Intellectual Property Department held the inauguration of the 'Intellectual Property Observatory', sponsored by the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition through its regional initiative coined 'Smart IP for Latin America' (SIPLA).

The Bogotá observatory seeks, within the framework of the SIPLA initiative, to contribute to the construction of a neutral forum for academic and political dialogue on intellectual property and competition law in the South American continent. In this way, Bogotá joins the other two Observatories (Buenos Aires and São Paulo) in its goal of providing academic impartial and evidence-based policy advice.

In opening remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Law of the Universidad Externado de Colombia, Dr. Emilssen González De Cancino, said:

"This Observatory represents in Colombia a crossing point between research and independence, i.e., the hope of laying solid foundations for social and economic progress, without losing sight of the need to strengthen the values of democracy."

Also, the director of the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, Reto Hilty, mentioned that "we are marking a new milestone in the expansion of 'Smart IP for Latin America' by more actively involving other Latin American countries in our research projects." In his opening remarks, Professor Hilty highlighted the major challenges coming from intellectual property including innovation and sustainability, food security, access to medicines, among others.

The event was also attended by representatives of the national ministries and agencies in charge of advancing intellectual property policies in Colombia, including the Ministries of Culture, Commerce, Industry and Tourism, International Affairs, Environment and Sustainable Development, and the National Planning Department, as well as the three intellectual property authorities: the Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio, the Colombian Agricultural Institute and the National Directorate of Copyright.

This space was also an opportunity to present the progress of the projects that have been led by the SIPLA initiative. Francisco Beneke, Senior Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, and Ingrid Ortiz, Chair of the Posgraduate Programs at the Externado, talked of the advances in Competition Law and Development. There was also a space to talk about the construction of the instrument on subject matter, exceptions, and limitations in patent law by professors Carlos Conde (Externado), Matthias Lamping and Pedro Batista, both research Fellows at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition. Other projects that were presented in this event were: technology transfer led by Manuel Guerrero, Coordinator of the Bogota Observatory and Juan Correa of the University of Buenos Aires; and the instrument on permitted uses in copyright by Nicolas Hermida, Affiliated Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, and Diego Guzmán (Externado); and, finally, Distinctive Signs for regional goods presented by Gabriel Venco Texeira.

Therefore, the Bogota Observatory has the coordination of research projects and the organization of academic forums that will serve as support for the promotion of Intellectual Property and Competition as bases to promote the sustainable development of the continent.