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Dominican Republic IP gains recognition, but enforcement hurdles persist
By Guzmán Ariza, Attorneys at Law
The Department of State of the United States 2023 Investment Climate Statement higlights the Dominican Republic for its strong intellectual property rights (IPR) laws and for meeting its IP obligations under international agreements such as the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
"IP authorities have built on efforts undertaken in past administrations and continued to receive positive reports on their efforts to enforce IPR from industry representatives in 2022", the report states.
Nevertheless, the U.S. also mentions limited enforcement as a challenge for investors as institutions responsible for protecting rights holders and enforcing IPR laws still lack capacity and many agencies continue to be under resourced.
Illicit and counterfeit goods present challenges and include fashion apparel and accessories, electronics, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, cigarettes, and alcohol.
The Dominican Republic strongly promotes inward FDI and has prioritized creating a sound enabling environment for foreign investors, improving its intellectual property system for that matter.
The Dominican Republic provides tax incentives for investment in tourism, renewable energy, film production, Haiti-Dominican Republic border development, and the industrial sector.
The sectors and activities targeted by the incentives are tourism, electricity generation, the textiles industry, manufacturing, the film industry, mining and agriculture.
The Department of State Investment Climate Statement provided up-to-date information on the investment climates of more than 165 countries and economies that are current or potential markets for U.S. companies.
Guzmán Ariza, Attorneys at Law
Guzmán Ariza is a leading full-service law firm in the Dominican Republic, consistently ranked among the country’s top-tier firms by the most prominent global legal directories such as Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500.
With ten strategically located offices across the nation's principal business and tourism hubs, we are uniquely positioned to support clients in seizing opportunities within the largest and fastest-growing economy in Central America and the Caribbean.
Our multilingual team is well-versed in advising international clients across a broad spectrum of practice areas. In the field of intellectual property, we offer robust counsel and representation in both commercial transactions and litigation. Our services cover trademark and trade name protection, copyright and patent registration and enforcement, as well as licensing, assignments, and the transfer of IP rights.
Guzmán Ariza is globally connected through active memberships in prominent international legal networks, enabling us to effectively support cross-border matters and multinational transactions.