Two Steps Forward and More to Go: IP Attaché Roundtable Summary
On Tuesday, December 9, 2025, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC) hosted its 19th Annual IP Attaché roundtable in Washington, D.C. A number of IP attachés from the United States Patent and Trademark office (USPTO) were on hand to report trends in intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement from around the world. Four panels reported on IP developments over the year in different countries in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Latin America, and Asia.
Highlights and takeways
Problem areas. In the IP arena, many countries remain focused on combatting online piracy, reducing counterfeit goods and protecting pharmaceutical IP rights.
Counterfeits. Counterfeit goods are expanding to hi-tech and health and safety sectors. Examples discussed were counterfeit tourniquets found on the front-line in Ukraine that failed to operate and drones with semiconductor chips from China that were falsely passed off as U.S. made.
Diplomatic status. The U.S. government is working to raise the diplomatic status of IP attachés to consular level to increase their access to international officials.
Successes and things to watch include:
Brazil: Operation 404 Anti-Piracy Initiative by law enforcement entered its eighth phase with the largest mobilization to date with 44 search and seizure warrants and blocking access to hundreds of websites.
UAE and Kuwait: Blocked access to websites with infringing content. UAE announced a one-day trademark search and grant program!
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): Continue to expand bilateral arrangements, Patent Prosecution Highways (PPH), and options for accelerated examination.
Colombia: Compulsory licensing still limited in scope and not expanded.
Mexico: President Claudia Sheinbaum sent to the Mexican Senate a wide-ranging initiative to reform Mexico’s federal law including in provisional patents, patent term adjustments for pharma, and use of AI in IP infringement.
South Africa: Under an “Innovation for All” rubric, South Africa seeks to promote inclusivity in innovation as a national priority.
European Union: Active negotiatons are underway for new general pharmaceutical legislation (“EU Pharma Package”).
WIPO: What to do with a large reported surplus in user fees?
The audience included a number of representatives of company stakeholders and embassy staff in the IP sector. USPTO Director John Squires made brief opening remarks. Deborah Lashley-Johnson, Acting Director of the IP Attaché Program, closed with a summary of the year’s efforts. Individual IP attachés who presented were Rachel Bae (Europe), Dorian Mazurkevich (Ukraine/Central Eurasia), Marina Lamm (WIPO/UN), Katherine Hiner (Sub-saharn Africa), Rasha H. Abdelmagid (UAE), Matthew Kohner (Southeast Asia), Dinesh Sharma (India), Claudia Rojas (Mexico), Cairo Jennings (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela), Jennifer Chicoski (Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru), Michael Mangelson (China and Mongolia), and Conrad Wong (Southern China, Hong Kong and Macao).
Next steps
Stakeholders and companies are urged to take advantage of the IP Attaché program especially when issues of IP enforcement or protection arise and when entering a new international market. Additional IP Attaché program and contact information by region is available here.
