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.
Category: New Law, Rule or Implementing Regulation
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.
China’s National Intellectual Property Administration Announces Rapid 20-Day Trademark Application Examination Program
On January 18, 2022, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the Measures for Rapid Examination of Trademark Applications (for Trial Implementation) (商标注册申请快速审查办法（试行)) that provides for examination of certain trademark applications within 20 days of approval of a request to participate. The Measures are effective immediately.
China Issues 115 Point Outline for Building a Powerful Intellectual Property Country
On January 4, 2022, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) published the 2021-2022 Outline for Building a Powerful Intellectual Property Country and the Annual Promotion Plan for the Implementation of the 14th Five- Year Plan (知识产权强国建设纲要和“十四五”规划实施年度推进计划) comprising 115 points in 7 categories. The categories include improving the intellectual property system (i.e., amending the Anti-Monopoly Law); strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights (i.e., formulate interpretations re punitive damages in civil IP cases); improving the operating mechanism of the intellectual property market …