RESERVED SPACE AMPPI

On January 1st, 2023, the new Board of Directors of the Mexican Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AMPPI) took up its duties. This is a body that has become one of the most traditional professional associations in Mexico and which I have the honor of chairing for the 2023-2024 biennium.

While preparing this paper for our sister association ASIPI, I reminisced about the invitations I received from my mentors, Lic. Sergio Olivares Rodriguez, Lic. César Ramos, and Sergio Olivares Lobato, to join AMPPI several years ago. They emphasized the importance of learning to coexist and engage with my peers and colleagues within the association’s framework. As a specialized firm in the field, they would say, “we must support AMPPI.” At that time, I didn’t fully understand why, but in my involvement with AMPPI, it didn’t take long for me to witness the virtuous environment that resulted from the interaction among colleagues, competitors, and authorities.

President

Since my beginning in the association, I have witnessed how AMPPI has been a facilitator, mediator, and promoter of the relationship between its affiliates, as well as between us and the numerous authorities.

The association is a space for intellectual study and reflection to achieve a better understanding and defense of copyrights, patents, trademarks, and other related rights and figures.

At the same time, our activity, as specialists in the field of intellectual property allows and binds us to promote the benefits generated by the creation and industrial, commercial, technological, and artistic development.

We are aware that the challenges in this area are not minor. In Mexico we have new procedural challenges, such as the possibility of claiming damages derived from the violation of industrial property rights directly before the civil courts, which will link us even more to other authorities different from the traditional ones regarding intellectual property matters.

The battle we face is not only legal but also cultural since eight out of ten Mexicans consume apocryphal products.

In addition, intellectual property figures are always changing, dynamic, and must be transformed at the same speed as the fast technological race nowadays in areas such as the metaverse and artificial intelligence.

The Work Plan that we, the Board of Directors have elaborated can be structured in the following four points:

1. To improve the association’s communication, both internally and externally.

2. To promote and channel a culture of intellectual property.

3. To seek the improvement of the legal and regulatory ecosystem of intellectual property and related matters.

4. To promote our association and protect rights holders against improvisation, lack of professionalism, and fraud.

To achieve the first point of the communication, we have worked and will continue to improve internal promotion and transparency in the activities of the entire Board.

Regarding the promotion of a culture of intellectual property, we are working hand to hand with digital communication professionals so that they can recommend the way, manner, and channels to make our messages known to the outside, aimed at the sophisticated public, without neglecting the end user of the system, who may be a small businessman, an inventor or developer, the consumer of products and services and considering students, young people, girls, and boys.

Speaking of young people and students, we consider them to be fundamental sectors. Therefore, we will soon propose the creation of a youth committee, as we are convinced that the future of the association, and of the matter lies precisely in them.

Regarding the Intellectual Property ecosystem, the weakness of the rule of law and the absence of legal certainty are negative and unacceptable factors for our association.

In this sense, it is essential for us to be agents of change in our society and promoters of a culture of respect for the law.

For this reason, we will start from home. We will take up and complete the internal Code of Ethics, which will guide our actions in accordance with the highest standards.

We want to have a positive impact on regulations based on the experience we have accumulated, our professional practice and the constant study of international standards and best practices.

On the other hand, we want to invigorate our international presence. For this reason, we are grateful and honored by the invitation extended to us by the President of ASIPI, Enrique Díaz, and its Council to publish this article.

Regarding the fourth point that mentions the promotion of the association, we will seek alliances and the collegiality of our associates.

We are working on the implementation of the use of our certification mark, which will distinguish intellectual property practitioners with the technical skills, professionalism, ethics, and experience to represent rights holders. This is not aimed to exclude anyone who wants to dedicate themselves to our beloved field but to avoid deceit, fraud, and improper representation of rights holders.

To preside over the largest intellectual property association in Mexico, the AMPPI, is an honor and one of my greatest professional desires. But this feeling of excitement is not separated from a great sense of responsibility.

I thank the AMPPISTS, for the trust they have placed in me, the Board of Directors and the Extended Board that will accompany me in this project. Our association brings together diverse individual interests, but we are united by common objectives.

In AMPPI there are not, nor should there be, internal enemies, but rather joint efforts to fight the apocryphal underworld, fraud and repress unfair competition.

In the Board of Directors of AMPPI, we assume the challenge that has been entrusted to us and we are confident that the direction we are heading in is the right one. But that will not prevent us from maintaining an open dialogue and an attentive ear to adjust the course when necessary.

Our commitment is clear, we will work with the best intentions and under the protection of the bylaws to strengthen, defend and guarantee the general interest of our Association.

José Alejandro Luna F.