Vegetal Protection and Topographies in Ecuador ***

<center> <p></center>   <a NAME="vegetal" target="_self"></a> <center> <h3> VEGETAL PROTECTION</h3></center> <p> All cultivated vegetable genders and species which imply the vegetal hereditary improvement of plants are protected through the granting of a <b>certificate of obtention</b>; in the measure that such cultivation and improvement is not prohibited by reasons of human, animal or vegetal health. <p>A variety shall be considered new if the material of reproduction or of multiplication, or a product of its harvest would not have been sold or delivered in other legal way to third parties, by the obtentor or his representative, or with his consent, for its commercial exploitation. Novelty is lost when: <ol> <ol> <li> The exploitation in the national territory has started at least a year before the date of filing the application or claimed priority;</li> <li> If the exploitation abroad has started at least four years before the date of filing the application or the claimed priority; and,</li> <li> In the case of trees and vineyards, if the exploitation abroad has started at least six years before the date of filing the application or the claimed priority.</li> </ol> </ol> A variety is distinct, if it is clearly different from any other whose existence is notoriously known, on the date of presentation of the application or claimed priority. <p>The National Vegetables Obtentions Bureau shall not request a deposit of the live sample when such deposit had been accredited by a competent national authority of a member country of the International Union for the Protection of Vegetable Obtentions (UPOV); unless necessary to resolve an opposition, or would be required for proofs of visibility, homogeneity and stability. <p>When a priority is claimed, no legislation or authentication of documents for pending applications shall be required. <p><a NAME="vegterm" target="_self"></a> <br><b>Term of duration:</b> <p>The term of duration of the obtentor's certificate shall be of twenty five years in the case of vineyards, forestry trees, fruit trees, including grafts; and, twenty years for the other species, starting on the date of filing of the application. <p>For those varieties that have not been marketed in Ecuador, the obtentor's certificate will be granted only for the remaining period of their original registration in the home country. <p><a NAME="vegnullity" target="_self"></a> <br><b>Nullity</b> <p>An action for annulment may be brought within three (3) years at administrative stage (Intellectual Property Committee) on the ground of lack of patentability in accordance with Decision 345 of the Cartagena Agreement or with the Intellectual Property Law, or if it was granted on the grounds of false data or inexact essential contents of the application. <p><a NAME="vegcancel" target="_self"></a> <br><b>Cancellation</b> <p>An action for cancellation may be brought before Intellectual Property Committee, when proved that the protected variety has failed to comply with the conditions of newness, homogeneity, distinguishability and stability; and, when the obtentor does not present the information or documents to demonstrate the maintenance or replacement of the registered variety. <center> <h3> <a NAME="layout" target="_self"></a></h3> <p>  </p> <h3> LAYOUT DESIGN FOR SEMICONDUCTOR CIRCUITS (TOPOGRAPHIES)</h3></center> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Decision 486 introduces this matter in the Andean Community legislation, but in Ecuador it had been already incorporated to the Intellectual Property Legislation in 1999.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"> </span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText2"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">The exclusive rights of intellectual property apply over the layout designs (topography) that are original as a result of an intellectual effort of their creator and are not currently in the semiconductor circuits industry.</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">A layout design (topography) that consists in a combination of elements or interconnections shall also be protected if such a combination, in its whole, fulfills the above- mentioned conditions. </span></i></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">(Decision 486, Art. 87)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">The right of the titleholder over an integrated circuit is applicable independently even if the integrated circuit is incorporated into a product. </span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">The application will be denied if it is filed after two years as from the first exploitation date.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"> (Decision 486, Art. 97)</span></p> <p><a NAME="layterm" target="_self"></a> <br><b>Term of duration:</b> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">The duration of the protection for layout designs (topography) shall be of <u>ten years</u>, starting on the latest of the following dates: Last day of the calendar year of its first commercial exploitation anywhere in the world; or, the filing date of the application for registration in the corresponding Member Country of the Andean Pact. </span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoBodyText2"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><i>Said protection shall not be less than fifteen years starting as from the last day of the calendar year of creation of the layout design (topography).</i></span></b><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;font-style:normal">(Decision 486, Art. 98)</span></i></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><b><a name="layopp" target="_self">Opposition</a></b></span></p> <p><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU">Within the term of sixty working days following the date of publication, whoever has a legitimate interest, may file a well-grounded opposition. Upon request, the opposition deadline may be extended once.</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU"> </span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU">(Decision 486, Art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>94)</span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">Provisions stated for patents shall be applied regarding this Chapter.</span></i></b></p> <p><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"><b><a name="layExamination" target="_self">Examination</a></b></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText2"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">The National Office will not examine a layout design application unless a grounded opposition is filed.</span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;font-style:normal">(</span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU;font-style:normal">Decision 486, Art. 93).</span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU">International Exhaustion of Rights applies for layout designs or any product incorporating a semiconductor circuit that was placed in the market by the owner or an authorized third party. </span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-AU">(Decision 486, Art. 101)</span></i></p> <div align=right><a href="#vegetal" target="_self"><img SRC="../images/top.gif" ALT="Back To Top" BORDER=0 width="33" height="35"></a> <br><i>back to: <a href="../home.htm" target="_top">Home</a></div></i> <p> </p>