On April 23, 2026, China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the “Notice from the CNIPA, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Market Regulation on Issuing the Action Plan for the “Year of Rectification and Standardization” in the Intellectual Property Agency Industry (知识产权代理行业“整治规范年”行动方案). The Notice, jointly issued by the three authorities, directs provincial-level intellectual property offices, public security departments, and market regulation authorities to implement the attached Action Plan within their respective jurisdictions.
The Action Plan extends and builds upon the joint special rectification campaign for the intellectual property agency industry that the three authorities launched in November 2025. Having achieved preliminary results under that earlier campaign, the authorities have designated 2026 as a “Year of Rectification and Standardization,” with the stated objective of consolidating prior enforcement outcomes and addressing remaining irregularities in the agency sector on a nationwide basis.
The Action Plan sets out measurable targets to be reached by the end of 2026, including containment of unlawful and non-compliant agency conduct, dismantling of black- and gray-market chains involved in patent fabrication and improper transactions, reduction in the overall size of the agency industry through removal of non-qualifying entities, and development of long-term mechanisms for coordinated supervision, credit-based supervision, and data-driven (“smart”) supervision. The Plan identifies four categories of tasks: strict enforcement against unlawful agency conduct, stricter approval and registration procedures for agency firms and practitioners, enhanced ongoing supervision of the industry, and management of intellectual property activity across the full application-to-use chain.
The Action Plan is organized into four sequential phases during 2026: mobilization and deployment (April), concentrated enforcement (May through September), consolidation and improvement (October through November), and summary and evaluation (December). It also addresses organizational measures, including inter-agency coordination, industry self-regulation, public outreach, and oversight of universities, research institutions, medical institutions, and state-owned enterprises with respect to internal controls over patent filings and invention disclosures.
A translation follows. The original text is available here (Chinese only).
Since November 2025, the CNIPA, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Market Regulation have jointly launched a special campaign to rectify the intellectual property agency industry, achieving initial results. To further implement the relevant decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, consolidate the rectification achievements, promote the standardized and healthy development of the intellectual property agency industry, and create a favorable innovation ecosystem and service environment, it has been decided to organize a nationwide “Rectification and Standardization Year” campaign for the intellectual property agency industry in 2026.
I. Work Objectives
We will adhere to a strict approach and thorough rectification, maintaining a high-pressure regulatory stance and severely cracking down on typical illegal and irregular agency activities. We will comprehensively tighten regulations in agency approval, daily supervision, and industry self-discipline to fundamentally improve the order of the agency industry. We will persist in promoting governance and standardized development through rectification, cleaning up illegal and irregular agencies and personnel through rectification, and consolidating the foundation for the development of the agency industry through standardization, thereby accelerating its high-quality development. We will insist on coordinated efforts and comprehensive measures, strengthening the synergy between policy, application, agency, and examination ends, and standardizing the entire chain of intellectual property application, agency, transaction, and use, thereby promoting the construction of a sound intellectual property innovation ecosystem through the rectification and standardization of the agency industry.
By deepening rectification and standardization, we strive to achieve the following by the end of 2026: illegal and irregular practices and unethical business practices in the intellectual property agency industry will be fully curbed; the black and gray industrial chains of patent forgery and unfair transactions will be effectively eradicated; and the industry order will be fundamentally improved. The quality of entry into the agency industry will be significantly enhanced, and the industry size will be reduced and strengthened. Long-term mechanisms such as collaborative supervision, credit supervision, and intelligent supervision will be further improved, and regulatory capabilities will be greatly enhanced. The quality of intellectual property agency services will be significantly improved, the professional responsibility and sense of honor of intellectual property agency practitioners will be significantly strengthened, and the important role of agency services in supporting technological innovation, protecting intellectual property rights, and promoting transformation and application will be further brought into play.
II. Key Tasks
(i) Strictly crack down on and focus on rectifying illegal and irregular agency activities.
1. Conduct extensive investigations into illegal activities. Intellectual property management departments at all levels should focus on prominent issues such as the black and gray industry chain of patent counterfeiting, ensure smooth channels for reporting and complaints, strengthen online behavior monitoring and agency data analysis, and focus on investigating clues such as forging patent applicant information, fabricating patents through fraud, renting out patent agency qualifications through “franchise,” “application on behalf,” or “certificate lending,” as well as publishing illegal business solicitation information on the Internet. They should also widely collect leads such as agents maliciously registering or hoarding trademarks, registering trademarks with significant adverse effects, maliciously “withdrawing for non-use,” and forging geographical indication historical materials, and promptly transfer them to departments with law enforcement powers for investigation and prosecution.
2. Strictly Crack Down on Illegal Activities. Market supervision departments at all levels and local intellectual property management departments with enforcement power shall, in accordance with laws and regulations, punish applicants, agencies or practitioners, and unqualified institutions or individuals involved in submitting or acting as agents for patent and trademark applications that violate the principle of good faith, renting or lending patent agency qualifications, conducting patent agency business without authorization, and engaging in fraudulent activities such as forging or altering legal documents, official seals, signatures, or geographical indication historical materials, as well as soliciting business through improper means. Intellectual property management departments at all levels shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, strengthen guidance to platform enterprises, urging them to establish and improve a database of prohibited and restricted words for soliciting agency business, and improve internal review rules and working mechanisms; market supervision departments shall investigate and punish platform enterprises that consistently publish illegal information or fail to rectify their practices in accordance with the law.
3. Increase the intensity of criminal prosecution. Further strengthen the connection between administrative and criminal law enforcement, and promptly transfer cases involving suspected infringement of citizens’ personal information, forgery of seals of state organs and enterprises, fraud, and other crimes discovered during the investigation of illegal and irregular agency activities to the public security organs.
(ii) Strictly review and approve applications and resolutely safeguard industry access.
1. Strictly enforce the approval and registration process for patent and trademark agencies. The CNIPA will establish an information-sharing mechanism with relevant departments to rigorously verify the agency qualifications and professional experience of proposed agency shareholders and partners, preventing them from evading supervision through “changing their names.” Those found to have a history of “certificate lending” will be subject to strict supervision, and their professional experience during this period will not be counted towards their years of professional practice. Special attention will be paid to investigating unqualified individuals who illegally establish agencies through methods such as hidden shareholding and prevent “shell company” operations. Local intellectual property management departments should cooperate in verifying the business premises of newly established patent agencies, eliminating virtual addresses or “one address, multiple licenses.” Continued strict management of trademark agency registration will be enforced, with enhanced public disclosure of registration information, and restrictions will be placed on those who have not passed verification to conduct trademark agency business.
2. Strengthen the review and approval process for the registration of branch offices of patent agencies and patent agents. Local authorities should strictly review the registration application materials for branch offices and patent agents in accordance with relevant requirements, strengthening the verification and comparison with information such as enterprise registration and social security contributions to prevent the establishment of fictitious branch offices. Strengthen the management of patent agent internship evaluations, standardize patent agent internship activities, and prevent fraudulent internships. Support qualified localities in implementing a “one-stop online service” for the registration of patent agency branch offices and patent agent practice, utilizing local government information platforms to achieve multi-dimensional verification of personnel information and better prevent behaviors such as “certificate lending” and part-time work.
(III) Strict supervision to improve the standardization and professionalism of the agency industry.
1. Conduct follow-up reviews of self-inspection and rectification efforts by agency organizations. From April to June 2026, local authorities will conduct follow-up reviews of the self-inspection and rectification efforts of agency organizations, promptly removing those that no longer meet licensing requirements and those practicing illegally. Organizations and individuals found to have falsified information or refused to rectify their practices will be dealt with severely according to law. Local authorities should combine annual report reviews with random and public inspections, strengthening the screening and comparison of information such as enterprise registration and social security records to further verify the self-inspection and rectification efforts of agency organizations, achieving precise handling and comprehensive rectification.
2. Strictly implement the patent attorney signature responsibility system. Strengthen the collection and comparison of patent attorney signature filing data to ensure the authenticity of signatures. Conduct routine monitoring of patent attorneys’ caseload and areas of expertise, and severely punish any failure to fulfill signature responsibilities. For a large number of patent applications that violate the principle of good faith, local authorities should strengthen the “dual punishment” for both the agency and the personnel. For patent attorneys whose practice licenses have been revoked or cancelled, they can only apply for cancellation of their practice registration after all cases under their name have been properly handled.
3. Deepen intelligent and credit-based supervision. Accelerate the establishment of an intelligent supervision system for intellectual property agencies, enabling functions such as analyzing the development trends of the agency industry, dynamically monitoring agency behavior, and providing risk warnings. Expedite the improvement of relevant regulations on the evaluation and management of patent and trademark agencies, and promote strengthened credit supervision of patent applicants who violate regulations. All localities should ensure that credit information is fully collected and evaluated, and implement disciplinary measures and categorized supervision for dishonest behavior in accordance with laws and regulations, imposing coordinated restrictions on dishonest applicants and agencies in areas such as patent pre-examination and priority examination.
4. Strengthen industry self-regulation and ethical conduct. Industry associations at all levels should strengthen ethical conduct, improve industry self-regulatory rules, comprehensively enhance education on professional ethics and discipline, guide agencies to improve internal management systems, strengthen quality control, and transform compliance requirements into daily norms. Increase the intensity of industry self-regulatory penalties and public exposure, and strengthen industry warning education. Local authorities should improve the regular communication, consultation, information sharing, and joint working mechanisms between administrative departments and industry organizations to achieve effective integration of administrative supervision and industry self-regulation.
5. Enhance the professional level of patent attorneys. Promote the establishment of a lifelong education and training system for patent attorneys, explore the establishment of an initial professional oath system and an annual training and assessment system, and regularly conduct knowledge updates and business exchanges. Improve the “advanced” training mechanism for patent attorneys, strengthen diversified training in agency, law, and operations, and continuously improve the professional quality and service capabilities of practitioners.
(iv) Strictly regulate and strengthen the management of the entire intellectual property chain.
1. Establish a notification and handling mechanism for patent fraud. Local authorities should promptly transfer any leads regarding cases involving staff members of universities, research institutions, medical institutions, or enterprises fabricating patents themselves or through intermediaries to their relevant competent authorities or enterprise qualification certification departments for handling. Cases involving suspected fraudulent acquisition of government subsidies and awards, false capital contributions, or tax evasion should be transferred to the competent authorities and public security organs for investigation and accountability. For cases involving public officials in intellectual property departments, disciplinary action should be taken, and cases should be transferred to disciplinary inspection and supervision organs for handling. For entities with frequent and repeated patent applications that violate the principle of good faith, joint interviews should be conducted with relevant departments to promptly urge rectification.
2. Guide universities and research institutions to strengthen internal control management. Intellectual property management departments at all levels should work with relevant departments to promote the improvement of internal management mechanisms in universities, research institutions, medical institutions, and state-owned enterprises; improve the disclosure system for service inventions; establish standardized procedures for invention disclosure and mechanisms for retaining technology research and development records; improve the pre-patent application evaluation system; strengthen evaluation constraints; and strictly investigate patent applications that are clearly unrelated to the inventor’s professional field or research projects to prevent patent fraud at the source. Promote the inclusion of respect for intellectual property rights, standardized patent authorship, and prevention of patent fraud as compulsory courses for researchers and incorporate them into research integrity education.
3. Strengthen control over the examination and review process. Comprehensively enhance the verification of the authenticity and validity of applicant and inventor identity information. Research and formulate management measures for electronic patent application accounts, improve the rules for the establishment, use, and management of electronic application accounts, and establish a dynamic management mechanism. Strictly manage patent application fees and strengthen the monitoring and control of abnormal payment behaviors. Strengthen the investigation and handling of behaviors such as providing false supporting materials, abnormal patent transfers, and abnormal changes in inventors, and restrict the processing of related transfer and change procedures in accordance with laws and regulations, effectively curbing patent sales for improper purposes.
4. Further promote the optimization of patent-related assessment and evaluation policies. Local authorities should explore establishing a working mechanism for intellectual property departments to participate in the formulation of policies related to patent indicators, avoiding the introduction of “quantity-only” patent policies from the outset. Strengthen the use of case studies to promote reform; for cases where problems are found in the internal patent evaluation and management systems of relevant units during case investigations, the relevant competent authorities should be notified to urge them to optimize and adjust.
III. Schedule
(I) Mobilization and Deployment (April 2026). All localities, in accordance with the deployment of this plan and in light of the progress made in previous special rectification campaigns, will refine their work measures and division of responsibilities, and carry out mobilization and deployment for the “Year of Rectification and Standardization” campaign. At the same time, they will comprehensively review all pending leads and cases, carefully review the self-inspection and rectification status of agencies, and, in accordance with the action plan and key rectification areas, investigate leads and fill any gaps, laying a solid foundation for comprehensively deepening the rectification work.
(II) Centralized Rectification (May to September 2026). Focusing on key areas such as the black and gray industry chain of patent forgery, local authorities should strengthen the connection between administrative and criminal law enforcement and joint enforcement, establish a “dual punishment” mechanism for applicants and agencies, and a “dual notification” mechanism for their employing units and competent authorities, and conduct centralized investigations and prosecutions of relevant cases and personnel, and handle a number of landmark cases. At the same time, conduct a “look back” on the self-inspection and rectification of agencies, thoroughly rectify irregular practices such as “certificate lending”, comprehensively clean up abnormal agencies and personnel, and continuously promote the “slimming down and strengthening” of the industry.
(III) Consolidation and Improvement (October to November 2026). Adhering to the principle of handling cases, summarizing, and optimizing simultaneously, while continuously implementing various rectification tasks, we will continuously improve management systems, working mechanisms, and platforms in all aspects, including agency supervision coordination, penalty standard construction, approval and filing management, credit system construction, intelligent supervision, and work style construction, so as to comprehensively enhance the regulatory capacity of the agency industry.
(iv) Summary and Evaluation (December 2026). A comprehensive summary and effectiveness evaluation of the “Year of Rectification and Standardization” campaign will be conducted, and the development status of the intellectual property agency industry will be assessed and analyzed. Beneficial experiences will be summarized and solidified to lay the foundation for further establishing and improving a long-term mechanism for the development and supervision of the agency industry.
IV. Organizational Safeguards
All localities must raise their political awareness, establish and practice a correct view of performance, fully recognize the urgency and importance of rectifying and regulating the intellectual property agency industry, earnestly fulfill their local responsibilities for agency supervision, improve law enforcement mechanisms, strengthen resource allocation, strictly regulate law enforcement, and thoroughly investigate all case leads while avoiding or minimizing the impact on the normal business activities of compliant operators. They must strengthen inter-departmental collaboration, coordinating relevant departments to urge universities, research institutions, medical institutions, and others to effectively fulfill their “gatekeeper” responsibilities and establish and improve working mechanisms for discovering, preventing, and handling patent fraud. Industry organizations must fulfill their industry self-regulation responsibilities, broaden channels for social supervision, guide agencies to fulfill their primary responsibilities, consciously operate with integrity and in accordance with regulations, and form a joint force for industry governance. They must strengthen publicity and guidance, promptly respond to social concerns and industry attention, publicize and interpret relevant rectification policies, ensure information sharing on penalties, increase the exposure of typical cases, and strengthen the deterrent effect of “not daring to violate” and the consciousness of “not wanting to violate.” They should guide innovation entities and business entities to improve their ability to identify agency services, establish a quality-oriented agency service bidding mechanism, and promote the realization of “high quality, high price.” We will steadily advance measures to provide precise services to patent agencies, and build an intellectual property agency industry ecosystem that is quality-oriented and based on integrity. We must focus on the implementation of tasks, and steadily advance the “Year of Rectification and Standardization” campaign in the agency industry, so as to improve the quality and value of intellectual property rights with tangible governance results.
