Latin America’s Intellectual Property (IP) landscape is both fragmented and dynamic. Domestic regulation and a network of international agreements have led to not only a lack of harmonisation but also compatibility across regional countries. This project awarded to Dr Suelen Carls through a BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grant will focus on the key determinants of this evolving IP environment and investigate how multinational corporations’ investment strategies influence and (re)shape local and regional frameworks. The research will also explore how regional and bilateral trade agreements drive and (re)configure the IP context and what these shifts mean for FDI strategies within Latin America’s dynamic institutional setting. As such this project will examine the IP context, regional integration, and foreign direct investment (FDI) in Latin America.

In particular, the study aims to engage stakeholders from key industries, law and policymakers, and academics, to understand the factors contributing to—and resulting from—Latin America’s  IP context. The project is scheduled to run till December 2024, with findings and insights expected in 2025. This research analyses the relationship between IP, investment, and institutional change to provide strategic insights for policymakers, practitioners, and investors in Latin American markets.