Costa Rica

Country code:

CR

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Background of colaboration

Information about funding opportunities for R&D projects:


Name of the programme	Funding organisation	Countries	Research Actions	Limitations
Incentive Fund	Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (MICIT)	Costa Rica	Support of the initiatives that relate to fulfillment of the objectives and national science and technology policies.
Propyme Fund	Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (MICIT)	Costa Rica	Used exclusively to finance activities aimed at promoting and improving management capacity and competitiveness of small and medium companies in Costa Rica.
University System Funds	National Council of Rectors (CONARE)	Costa Rica	Special funds for public university researchers.
Higher University Council Funds (CSUCA)	Higher University Council Funds (CSUCA)	Central America	Funding for university researchers CSUCA members.
Risk Fund for Research FORINVES	National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICIT)	Costa Rica
Foundation for the Development and Promotion of Research and Transfer of Agricultural Technology (FITTACORI)	Foundation for the Development and Promotion of Research and Transfer of Agricultural Technology (FITTACORI)	Costa Rica

Partner search facilities:


Name	Description	Scope	Costs
Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (MICIT)	Information calls for R&D project financing, national, regional and international.	National, Regional (Central America) and International	Information not available
National Council of Rectors (CONARE)	Information calls for R&D project financing, national, regional and international.	National, Regional (Central America) and International	Information not available
National Universities of Costa Rica	Links to some universities webpages: www.tec.ac.cr; www.una.ac.cr; www.uned.ac.cr; www.utn.ac.cr.	National, Regional (Central America) and International	Information not available

Resources of information:


Name	Description	Costs
PILA - Network of Intellectual and Industrial Property in Latin America	The aim is to create a learning platform for exchanging management practices in respect of intellectual property in Higher Education Institutions in Latin America. With the modernization of management practices in respect of intellectual property in Higher Education Institutions in Latin America, PILA aims to encourage interaction between universities and businesses, thereby contributing to economic and social development.	Free of charge
Chamber of Information and Communication Technology (CAMTIC)	Project information and national and international initiatives to promote intellectual property and development in science and technology.	Information not available
Cytec Network (Network communication of science, technology and innovation of Costa Rica)	Project information and national and international initiatives to promote intellectual property and development in science and technology.	Information not available
Labp Network	Project information and national and international initiatives to promote intellectual property and development in science and technology.	Information not available
Auge-UCR (AGENCY MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY VENTURES)	Project information and national and international initiatives to promote intellectual property and development in science and technology.	Information not available
FONTAGRO	Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology (14 Latin American Countries and Spain). Main activities: to finance research and innovation of regional interest.	Free of charge

Institutions supporting R&D collaboration:


Name	Description
Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (MICIT)	MICIT activities include: Support of scientific and technological activity performed by any public or private, domestic or foreign entity, contributing to scientific and technical exchange with other countries or linked with national development objectives; Establishing incentives for private and public universities, colleges and other education centers, in order to increase the ability to generate science and technology and bring them together; Creating conditions for science and technology instrumental role to be basic factors to achieve greater competitiveness and growth of the national productive sector. Stimulate technological innovation as essential to strengthen the country's capacity to adapt to changes in the international economy and trade, and improve the quality of life of Costa Ricans.

Legal framework for R&D cooperation:


Name of the agreement	Description
Bilateral agreement CNPq-CONICIT	Costa Rica-Brazil
Agreement Establishing an Association between Central America, on the one hand, and the European Union and its Member States, on the other	The Association Agreement relies on three complementary pillars, namely political dialoque, cooperation, and trade which reinforce each other and their effects.

General IP info

Categories of IP rights:


Category of IPR	Name of the law	Registration needed	Where to register
Copyright	Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 1982	no	-
Patents	Law on Patents, Industrial Designs and Utility Models of 1983	yes	Industrial Property Register
Utility models	Law on Patents, Industrial Designs and Utility Models of 1983	yes	Industrial Property Register
Trade marks	Trademarks and other Distinctive Signs of 2000	yes	Industrial Property Register
(Industrial) designs	Law on Patents, Industrial Designs and Utility Models of 1983	yes	Industrial Property Register
Geographical Indications	Decree No. 33743, Rules of the Provisions on Geographical Indications and Appellations of Origin contained in the Law on Trademarks and Other Distinctive Signs	yes	Industrial Property Register
Know How	Law on Undisclosed Information of 2000	yes	Industrial Property Register
Plant Breeders Rights	Law on the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of 2008	yes	The National Seed Office
Topographies of Semiconductor Products	Law on the Protection of Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits of 1999	yes	Industrial Property Register

IPRs' databases:


Name of the source	What information can I find?	Language
National Register of the Republic of Costa Rica	Records of copyright and related rights, industrial property rights.	Spanish
Latipat	Latipat is an access point for searching public patent documents of Latin America and Spain using the Espacenet platform.	English, Spanish, Portuguese

Research related limitations and exceptions to IPRs:


Category of IP right	Type of limitation	Description	Relevant regulation
Patents/Utility models/Designs	Information not available
Patents/Utility models
Industrial Designs
Topographies of Semiconductor Products	Information not available
Trade Marks	Information not available
Copyright	Private copying	Private copying is permitted if not for purposes of receiving profit and to the extent required to meet illustrative purposes of teaching.	Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 1982

IP Office:


Name of the office	Scope of activities
Industrial Property Register (within the National Register of the Republic of Costa Rica)	The Industrial Property Register is the administrative authority responsible for registration of rights to industrial property.

IP treaties & agreements:


Berne Convention	introduces minimum standard of copyright protection	yes
Paris Convention	establishes minimum standards of industrial property protection	yes
TRIPS		yes
WIPO conventions		yes
PCT		yes
EPC		no
Madrid Protocol	allows registration of trademarks via international route	no
Hague Convention		yes
UPOV		yes

Ownership rules:


Default (statutory) regime for the ownership
Default (statutory) regime for employee’s creations	Employer, unless otherwise agreed (provisions of the Labour Code).
Ownership of research results in publicly sponsored research	Each entity is determined in its call and distribution of funds, usually in partnership with higher education institutions.
Specific ownership rules for public HEIs/research organisations and possibility to modify it contractually	Basically, in Costa Rica each HEI has autonomy to regulate this issue on its own.
Specific ownership regime for students/ visiting researchers/doctoral students and possibility to modify it contractually	Each HEI regulates this issue on its own. For example, Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC): ownership of intellectual property over a student work (practice-thesis courses) belongs to the student, except inscription on the Vice Presidency of Research and Extension or special contractual relationship. Researchers and authors get 50% of the profits. The TEC reserves the right heritage of the result.
Related law (name & link)	There is no specific standard, and each HEI internally regulates such matters. For example Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC) has specific rules that can be viewed at: (link)

Dissemination rules:


Limitations on publication	Only such that might be imposed on a project by internal HEI standards.
Specific rules regarding publication of scientific results financed by public bodies	Each call is established.
Non-disclosure clauses in research contracts	Each project determines the clause should govern.

Specific incentives for innovation activities:


Related Law (name & Link)	Law to Promote Scientific and Technological Development of 1990
Incentives provided by law for individual researchers	Legislation does not distinguish between individual and group research. Distribution is made according to participation or leadership in the project.
Related Law (name & Link)	Law to Promote Scientific and Technological Development of 1990
Incentives provided by HEI for researcher	Each HEI may provide incentives on its own. For example, University of Costa Rica: Guidelines for Linking paid the University of Costa Rica With The External Sector.

Form of commercialisation:


Form of commercialisation	Requirements regarding form of contract	Limitations for HEIs	HEIs Unit responsible for commercialisation	Related law (name & link)
In each case depends on needs and performance of the project.	In each case depends on needs and performance of the project.	There is no single form for exploitation, each HEI has several limitations, according to its size, structure and number of researchers and scaling possibilities.	For example: Costa Rica Institute of Technology - Linkage Center and University-Industry and Transfer Center Continuing Education; Universidad de Costa Rica: Each academic unit.	Each HEI has its own internal regulations. For example: Universidad de Costa Rica - Guidelines for Linking paid the University of Costa Rica

Revenue sharing:


Remuneration/ Participation in revenues	Statutory rules regarding remuneration	Statutory rules regarding revenue sharing	Internal HEIs rules regarding revenue sharing	Related law (name & link)
According to agreement between the two parties.	There is no single standard.	There is no single standard.	Each HEI has its own rule. For example, Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC) maintains regulation whereby researchers and authors get 50% of the profits. The TEC reserves the right to another 50% of the profits.	Not available

Models of contracts used in R&D:


Type of contracts	Short description	Source (link)
There is no single model developed for the country, each HEI provides the most appropriate according to the needs and source of project funds. Similarly each entity develops documents regarding allocated funds. Sometimes project counterpart already has a defined model contract and the HEI must translate (if necessary) and negotiate some points.