EPO strengthens co-operation in Latin America and the Caribbean

From left to right: Maximiliano Santa Cruz, founder of IP Santa Cruz and lead moderator of the event, Esteban Figueroa Nagel, National Director of the National Institute of Industrial Property of Chile, António Campinos, EPO President, Marco Llinás, Chief of the Division of Production, Productivity and Management of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Fernando Cuenin, Chief of Operations and Representative in Chile of the Inter-American Development Bank. 
 

​​On 19 and 20 May 2026, the European Patent Office (EPO) co-hosted a high-level conference in Chile, reaffirming its commitment to international co-operation and the promotion of IP policies in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). 

​High-level conference in Santiago 

​The conference “Innovation and Intellectual Property for Productive Development and Sustainable Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean”, held at the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago was jointly organised by the EPO, ECLAC and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).  

​The event explored how stronger IP systems, international co-operation and patent intelligence can support innovation, productivity and sustainable growth across the region. It brought together policymakers, leaders of national IP offices and local innovators to exchange experiences and discuss evidence‑based approaches to innovation policy and regional development. 

​During the event, the EPO and ECLAC presented their joint study, “Harnessing intellectual property for development: Opportunities and challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean”, on the role of IP‑intensive industries in the LAC economy. The study provides a data‑driven basis for policy dialogue and strengthens innovation ecosystems at both the national and regional levels. 

​Among other key findings, the study highlights that IP-intensive industries already make a significant contribution to the region, and they are associated with higher productivity and better wages, particularly in patent-intensive sectors. 

​Deepening regional and bilateral co-operation 

​The conference provided an opportunity for targeted bilateral meetings with national authorities from across the LAC region to strengthen existing partnerships, deepen mutual understanding and explore future co-operation, including digitalisation, capacity-building and the modernisation of IP services. 

​During the visit, EPO President António Campinos also met with Chile's Minister of Economy and Mining, Daniel Mas Valdés, to discuss the country's innovation landscape and ongoing initiatives aimed at strengthening technological capabilities and fostering innovation.