Trademark Licence Colombia (Contrato de Licencia de Marca)

A Trademark Licence Colombia (Contrato de Licencia de Marca) is a commercial contract through which the owner of a registered trademark (licenciante or licensor) authorizes a third party (licenciatario or licensee) to use the mark for specific goods or services, within a defined territory and timeframe, in exchange for consideration, governed by Decision Andina 486 de 2000 (Regimen Comun sobre Propiedad Industrial of the Comunidad Andina) Article 162 and the principle of contractual autonomy under Codigo Civil (CC -- Ley 57 de 1887) Article 1602.

Decision Andina 486 de 2000 constitutes supranational law with direct effect in Colombia as a member state of the Comunidad Andina (comprising Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia), taking precedence over domestic intellectual property legislation on matters it regulates. Article 162 establishes that the owner of a registered trademark may license its use to one or more third parties, and that the licence must be registered with the competent national office -- in Colombia, the Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC), specifically the Delegatura de Propiedad Industrial -- to be enforceable against third parties (oponible frente a terceros).

Under Decision 486 Article 163, the licensor must exercise effective quality control over the goods or services offered by the licensee under the licensed mark. Failure to exercise quality control may result in the licensee's use being considered unauthorized, potentially leading to consumer deception and liability under the Estatuto del Consumidor (Ley 1480 de 2011). Decision 486 Article 164 provides that unless otherwise agreed, the licensee is entitled to exercise the trademark rights to the extent necessary for the exploitation of the licence, including standing to pursue infringement actions when authorized by the licensor.

The SIC maintains the trademark register and administers trademark licensing registration through its Delegatura de Propiedad Industrial. Registration requires submission of the licence agreement (or a summary thereof), proof of the trademark registration, and payment of the applicable tasa (official fee). The registration process is governed by Circular Unica de la SIC and typically requires four to eight weeks for processing. While an unregistered licence is valid between the parties under CC Article 1602, it is not enforceable against third parties who acquire rights in good faith without knowledge of the licence.

Colombian courts -- Juzgados Civiles del Circuito for contractual disputes and the SIC (acting as judicial authority under Ley 1480 de 2011 Article 24) for trademark infringement matters -- have jurisdiction over trademark licence disputes. The Tribunal de Justicia de la Comunidad Andina (TJCA) in Quito provides binding interpretations of Decision 486 provisions through the interpretacion prejudicial mechanism under the Tratado de Creacion del TJCA.

The legal framework governing the Trademark Licence Colombia (Contrato de Licencia de Marca) in Colombia draws on several key statutes and regulatory bodies. Under the Codigo de Comercio (Decreto 410 de 1971), the Camara de Comercio maintains the Registro Mercantil of Colombian companies. The Ley 1258 de 2008 governs Sociedades por Acciones Simplificadas (SAS). The Superintendencia de Sociedades supervises corporate governance. The DIAN (Direccion de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales) administers the Impuesto de Renta and IVA under the Estatuto Tributario (Decreto 624 de 1989). Parties executing a Trademark Licence Colombia (Contrato de Licencia de Marca) in Colombia should confirm the document reflects current law, including any amendments enacted since the original drafting date. The Decision Andina 486/2000 art. 162; CC art. 1602 sets the foundational requirements.

A Trademark Licence Colombia is needed whenever the owner of a registered trademark wishes to authorize a third party to use the mark for commercial purposes while retaining ownership, requiring formal documentation of the scope, limitations, and conditions of use.

The licence is needed when a trademark owner expands its brand presence by authorizing manufacturers, distributors, or retailers to use its marks on products or in connection with services. Under Decision Andina 486 Article 162, any authorized use of a registered trademark by a third party requires a licence agreement -- informal verbal permissions do not provide the licensor with adequate legal protection or satisfy the registration requirements for third-party enforceability.

A Contrato de Licencia de Marca is required when a Colombian company licenses its trademark to a foreign entity for use in other Comunidad Andina member states (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia) or internationally. Decision 486 provides harmonized trademark protection within the Comunidad Andina, and the licence should address territorial scope, including whether the licence extends to all CAN member states or is limited to specific jurisdictions.

The agreement is needed when trademark licensing forms part of a broader commercial arrangement -- distribution agreements, franchise systems, joint ventures, or technology transfer agreements. Under Decision 486 Article 163, every trademark licence must include quality control provisions regardless of the broader commercial context, and the trademark licence component should be separately documented to support SIC registration.

A trademark licence is required when the licensee will manufacture products bearing the licensed mark. Quality control under Decision 486 Article 163 becomes critical in manufacturing licences -- the licensor must specify product standards, testing requirements, and inspection rights to confirm that goods bearing the mark meet the quality expectations associated with the brand.

The agreement is needed when a Colombian company monetizes its intellectual property portfolio by licensing marks to third parties for merchandise, co-branding, or promotional purposes. The licence defines the permitted categories of goods or services, quality standards, and royalty structure -- providing a documented revenue stream while maintaining brand control.

Parties in Colombia should prepare a Trademark Licence Colombia (Contrato de Licencia de Marca) proactively rather than waiting for a dispute to arise. Courts interpret agreements based on the written terms rather than oral representations. Under the Codigo de Comercio (Decreto 410 de 1971), the Camara de Comercio maintains the Registro Mercantil of Colombian companies. The Ley 1258 de 2008 governs Sociedades por Acciones Simplificadas (SAS). The Superintendencia de Sociedades supervises corporate governance. The DIAN (Direccion de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales) administers the Impuesto de Renta and IVA under the Estatuto Tributario (Decreto 624 de 1989). Where the transaction involves regulated activities, prior approval from the relevant authority may be required before execution.

A valid Trademark Licence Colombia under Decision Andina 486 de 2000 Article 162 and CC Article 1602 must contain these essential elements for enforceability and SIC registration.

Identification of Parties: Full legal identification of the licensor (licenciante/titular de la marca) and licensee (licenciatario) -- razon social, NIT (Numero de Identificacion Tributaria), Certificado de Existencia y Representacion Legal from the Camara de Comercio, and representante legal. For international licensors, identification of the foreign entity and its authorized representative in Colombia.

Trademark Identification: Precise identification of the licensed trademark(s) -- registration number(s) assigned by the SIC, classes of goods or services under the Nice Classification (Clasificacion Internacional de Niza), word marks, figurative marks (logos), combined marks, and any trade dress elements. Certification that the trademark registration is current and in good standing (vigente y en buen estado).

Scope of Licence: Specification of whether the licence is exclusive (exclusiva -- only the licensee may use the mark, excluding even the licensor), sole (unica -- only the licensee and the licensor may use the mark), or non-exclusive (no exclusiva -- the licensor may grant additional licences). Products or services for which the licensee is authorized to use the mark -- which may be narrower than the full scope of the trademark registration.

Territory: Geographic scope of the licence -- Republic of Colombia, specific departments or municipalities, or broader Comunidad Andina territory. Under Decision 486, trademark rights are territorial -- a Colombian trademark registration covers only Colombian territory, and separate registrations are needed for other CAN member states.

Duration: Term of the licence -- which cannot exceed the term of the underlying trademark registration (renewable for successive ten-year periods under Decision 486 Article 152). Renewal provisions and early termination grounds.

Quality Control: The licensor's quality control obligations under Decision 486 Article 163 -- specification of product or service quality standards, approved materials and suppliers, testing and inspection procedures, right of the licensor to audit and inspect the licensee's operations, and consequences of quality non-compliance. Quality control is a mandatory legal requirement, not merely a commercial preference.

Royalties and Fees: Consideration for the licence -- initial licence fee, ongoing royalties (percentage of sales, per-unit fees, or fixed periodic payments), minimum royalty guarantees, and payment schedule. Tax treatment of royalties under the Estatuto Tributario -- IVA on domestic royalties, withholding tax on cross-border payments under ET Article 408.

SIC Registration: Obligation to register the licence with the SIC Delegatura de Propiedad Industrial under Decision 486 Article 162 for enforceability against third parties. Allocation of registration costs and responsibility for filing.

Forms-legal.com provides this Trademark Licence Colombia template to help trademark owners and licensees formalize their licensing relationship. Every trademark licence should be reviewed by an abogado de propiedad intelectual to confirm compliance with Decision Andina 486, SIC registration requirements, and applicable tax obligations.

Additional compliance elements for a Trademark Licence Colombia (Contrato de Licencia de Marca) used in Colombia include: Under the Codigo de Comercio (Decreto 410 de 1971), the Camara de Comercio maintains the Registro Mercantil of Colombian companies. The Ley 1258 de 2008 governs Sociedades por Acciones Simplificadas (SAS). The Superintendencia de Sociedades supervises corporate governance. The DIAN (Direccion de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales) administers the Impuesto de Renta and IVA under the Estatuto Tributario (Decreto 624 de 1989). Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Colombia-compliant documentation.