Chinese Utility Model Grants Down 25.5% in 2023, Invention Patent Grants Up 15.4% in Shift from Quantity to Quality

Posted on Categories Design Patent, Patents, Statistics, Trademarks

In China’s shift from quantity to quality, 25.5% fewer utility models were granted in 2023 versus 2022. Design patent grants were also down 11.5% according to a January 16, 2024 press conference held by the State Council Information Office. In contrast, invention patent grants were up 15.4%. Invention patent applications are substantively examined while utility models and designs only undergo a preliminary examination. 2024 may show a continuing downward trend for utility models as the amended Patent Examination Guidelines, effective …

China’s National Intellectual Property Administration Releases Second Batch of Guiding Cases of Administrative Enforcement

Posted on Categories Case, Design Patent, Patents, Trademarks

On March 31, 2022, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) issued the Second Batch of Guiding Cases for Administrative Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (第二批知识产权行政执法指导案例).  Administrative enforcement provides for a second avenue for enforcement of intellectual property rights in China in addition to civil litigation.  The Guiding Cases include 3 cases covering patent infringement, trademark infringement and design patent infringement.

Europol: More Than Half of Counterfeits Originate in China

Posted on Categories Copyright, Design Patent, Trademarks

On March 7, 2022, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) jointly released the Intellectual Property Crime Threat Assessment 2022. Per the Assessment, China (including Hong Kong) was the main source of counterfeits based on number of counterfeits and by value of the counterfeits seized at the EU external borders.  Almost 76% of the fake goods detained were for trademark infringement; design infringement was the second most reported at 23% …

China’s IP Tribunal of the Supreme People’s Court Releases Annual Report for 2021

Posted on Categories Case, Copyright, Design Patent, Patents, Trade Secrets

On February 28, 2022, the Intellectual Property Tribunal of the Supreme People’s Court of China released its Annual Report for 2021. The report discloses statistics about Tribunal including average length of case, number of cases per judge, total number of cases heard, etc. The report also references accomplishments of the Tribunal.