China to Grade Patent Agencies and Agents per Administrative Measures for the Credit Evaluation of Patent Agents (for Trial Implementation)

Posted on Categories New Law, Rule or Implementing Regulation, Patents

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

Posted on Categories New Law, Rule or Implementing Regulation, Patents

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 Releases 2022 National Intellectual Property Administrative Protection Work Plan

Posted on Categories Patents, Trademarks

On January 24, 2022, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the 2022 National Intellectual Property Administrative Protection Work Plan (国家知识产权局关于印发2022年全国知识产权行政保护工作方案的通知). Two interesting goals of the Plan include further reducing abnormal patent applications and malicious trademark registrations and gradually reduce and eventually eliminate financial subsidies for patent authorization.

China’s National Intellectual Property Administration Releases 14th Five-Year Plan for Patent and Trademark Examination

Posted on Categories Patents, Trademarks

On January 20, 2022, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the 14th Five-Year Plan for Patent and Trademark Examination (专利和商标审查“十四五”规划).  The Plan specifies development goals and indicator to reach by 2025. Of particular note for patent practitioners is the goal to reduce the patent examination cycle from an average of 20 months to 15 months and the potential adding of a preliminary examination for inventiveness in utility models.