Regarding the protection of intellectual property rights, Andean Community legislation as well as Ecuadorian legislation establishes
that the right to exclusive use of a trademark is obtained through registration of the trademark with the respective competent national office, that is, the National Office of Industrial Property of the Ecuadorian Institute of Intellectual Property (I.E.P.I.).
As a result of that previously mentioned, one must take into consideration that the rule is primarily obtaining the registration for the trademark with the Competent National Office and later the right to use the trademark. Note that use prior to registration does not concede the right, except precise exceptions. Among such exceptions are the following:
