PROMOTING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN NUEVO LEON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONTERREY 000408

SIPDIS

PASS TO USPTO AND WILLIAM PAUGH, DOC ENFORCEMENT OFF OF SEC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD KIPR MX
SUBJECT: PROMOTING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN NUEVO LEON

REF: A) MONTERREY 336 B) STATE 58059

MONTERREY 00000408 001.2 OF 002



1. Summary. Given the state governor's success in branding
Monterrey as Mexico's "City of Knowledge," post has embarked
upon an effort to promote intellectual property rights (IPR) and
combat piracy in Nuevo Leon. The Consulate has promoted an IPR
agreement that would afford the state government, enforcement
agencies, and the private sector opportunities to cooperate on
IPR protection. Concurrently, we are pursuing a project with
the municipal government of Monterrey whereby the city would
conduct an audit of its computers to ensure that only legal
software is being used, an initiative which could serve as an
example for businesses and organizations in the area.
Simultaneously, Post has worked to raise IPR awareness through:
a) discussion sessions at the local American Chamber of Commerce
(AmCham),b) an international visitor program for an influential
Monterrey-based IPR lawyer, and c) training for a local patent
examiner at United States PTO academy. Post is also working
closely with Embassy Mexico to secure funds for IPR outreach
projects and coordinating with our contacts here to both develop
a comprehensive plan to raise awareness of IPR issues in Nuevo
Leon and train officials in the protection of intellectual
property. With additional support, we could capitalize on these
relationships and implement a strong action plan that will help
to advance this important mission goal. End Summary.




2. Building upon a December 2007 IPR conference staged in
Monterrey by post and Embassy Mexico, post has been developing a
plan to increase coordination efforts among the public and
private sector in Nuevo Leon to combat piracy, as well as raise
awareness of the issue (reftel A). One project we are pursuing
is an agreement between the Nuevo Leon office of Mexico's
Institute for Intellectual Property (IMPI),the state
government, the regional office of the Attorney General (PGR),
and a regional, private sector, IPR association (AMPII). The
agreement would be modeled after the one signed by the State of
Mexico in 2006. Initial meetings with the Regional IMPI
Director and AMPII President to propose the idea of a state IPR
agreement were well-received. IMPI Director Mayra Libbet Nunez
Vazquez proposed inviting the Northeastern regional association,
INVITE, to become involved as well, in the hopes of pursuing a
larger IPR agreement that would include all the northeastern
states of INVITE (reftel B). A subsequent meeting with the
Executive Coordinator of INVITE, Francisco Javier Alejo Lopez,
was also positive. Alejo suggested that a state IPR agreement
could also be used to try and harmonize state and local laws
related to IPR protection and enforcement.




3. Over recent months Nuevo Leon state Governor Jose Natividad
Gonzales Paras has sought to promote Monterrey international as
Mexico's City of Knowledge. To that end, the state has opened a
research park which has attracted hi-tech companies (Motorola,
Infosys, Wipro, etc.) and well-known universities (Monterrey
Tec, Arizona State, Texas A&M). Sensing an opportunity, we have
urged the Governor's economic cabinet to strengthen the region's
intellectual property enforcement apparatus, noting that
investors will only channel money to research if they know that
the fruits of the labors will be protected. As a follow-up
step, the Consulate's Public Affairs Section plans to bring a
speaker here during the fall to discuss the connection between
IPR protection, university-private sector cooperation, and tech
transfer.




4. At the local level, we are currently pursuing a program
entitled "El Ejemplo Empieza en Casa" (The Example Begins at
Home) with the Monterrey municipal government. This program,
which was first implemented in the state of Jalisco last year,
involves running a sample audit of government computers to
ensure the use of legal software. The purpose of this campaign,
run in coordination with the Business Software Alliance (BSA)
representative in Mexico City, is to reduce the use of pirated
software and have government agencies serve as an example for
private enterprises. Initial meetings with the municipal
government have been very positive and have included useful
input from city information systems personnel. If the program
is successfully implemented, we plan to propose it to the state
government as well.




5. Training in IPR is also greatly needed and we have nominated
key individuals for specific courses and programs. Gilberto de
Hoyos Koloffon, a Monterrey attorney whose law firm specializes

MONTERREY 00000408 002.2 OF 002


in IPR, just returned from a successful International Visitor's
Program on the protection of intellectual property rights. De
Hoyos, the President of AMPII, has been a key contact of ours in
promoting IPR and is working with us to develop a strategy. He
returned from the IV trip with many useful IPR contacts which we
hope to use for future projects. In addition, post successfully
nominated an IMPI patent examiner for a Patent Basic Course at
the Global Intellectual Property Academy in Arlington, VA. We
are also staying abreast of future courses that might be offered
in the area of enforcement, particularly concerning Customs, in
the interest of nominating local PGR agents who have also
expressed interest in receiving training from U.S. experts. In
addition, we had the local AmCham sponsor an IPR presentation
for its members. The presentation, given by De Hoyos, generated
so much interest that the Amcham scheduled a second session.
Both presentations were very well-attended and participants,
representing local companies, expressed their concern over the
high level of IPR violations in Monterrey, as well as interest
in learning more about registering patents and trademarks.




6. Post has held various strategy meetings with governmental
officials, Embassy EconOff, post PAO and local IPR contacts to
discuss how to best pursue these ongoing projects and to
generate suggestions for further promoting IPR locally. One
promising idea is to host an IPR awareness seminar using FY 2008
IPR Outreach Pilot Program funding (ref B). Such an event
would generate a great deal of interest among all players in the
Monterrey business and law enforcement community. With
additional funds and support, we could capitalize on these
relationships and implement a strong action plan that will help
to advance this important mission goal.
WILLIAMSON