On January 27, 2022, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released a Notice titled “Blue Sky” special rectification campaign of the intellectual property agency industry has achieved positive results in 2021 (2021年知识产权代理行业“蓝天”专项整治行动取得积极成效). The Blue Sky campaign aims to crack down on illegal IP agency behavior in China such as abnormal (irregular) patent applications and malicious trademark applications.
Author: Aaron Wininger
Aaron Wininger is a Principal and Director of the China Intellectual Property at Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner.
China to Grade Patent Agencies and Agents per Administrative Measures for the Credit Evaluation of Patent Agents (for Trial Implementation)
On January 28, 2022, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the Administrative Measures for the Credit Evaluation of Patent Agents (for Trial Implementation) (专利代理信用评价管理办法(试行)), which will grade Chinese patent agencies and agents. Grades will be based on per capita agency volume of patent filings and filing of abnormal patent applications with bonus points for reporting wrongdoing. The trial is being piloted in Hebei Province, Jiangsu Province, Hunan Province, and Sichuan Province.
China’s National Intellectual Property Administration Issues Notice on Continuing and Strictly Regulating Patent Application Behavior
On January 25, 2022, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) issued the Notice on Continuing and Strictly Regulating Patent Application Behavior (国家知识产权局关于持续严格规范专利申请行为的通知) to further crack down on irregular (abnormal) Chinese patent applications. In December 2021, CNIPA announced it had determined that about 815,000 patent applications were irregular so far in 2021.
Reminder: China National Intellectual Property Administration to Close for Spring Festival 2022
The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) will be closed January 31st to February 6th 2022 for the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival). Note, to compensate, CNIPA will be open on January 29 (Saturday) and January 30 (Sunday). Patent deadlines are postponed to the next following non-weekend workday. Other closure dates for 2022 Chinese holidays can be found here.