On April 25, 2020, China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate issued a list of the top example cases in 2019 of criminal IP rights infringement. The cases cover trademark, copyright and trade secret theft. Verdicts included both imprisonment and fines. While the punishments were severe for trademark and copyright cases, only 2 of the 18 cases are for trade secret theft and defendants received minimal or no jail time, perhaps indicating room for improvement on trade secret protection in China.
Category: Trademarks
Chinese Trademark Office Warns Applicants Against Fraudulent Mail
On April 23, 2020, the Chinese Trademark Office has warned applicants of a scam of someone sending a “trademark announcement” via mail to the applicant in order to defraud the applicant via payment of unnecessary fees. The Office reminds applicants that all notices since May 2016 are electronic and the receipt of Official Documents do not require the payment of fees.
Chinese Trademark Office Issues FAQ on Collective and Certification Trademark Registration
On April 23, 2020, the Trademark Office of the China National Intellectual Property Administration issued a Frequently Asked Question list (FAQ) on registering collective/certification marks. A Collective mark is a trademark owned by an organization (such as an association), used by its members to identify themselves with a level of quality or accuracy, geographical origin, or other characteristics set by the organization. A certification mark is a type of trademark that is used to show consumers that particular goods and/or services, or their …
China’s Supreme People’s Court Releases Top 10 Intellectual Property Cases for 2019
On April 21, 2020, China’s Supreme People’s Court released a list of the top 10 intellectual property law cases of 2019. The cases cover patent (invention and design), trademark, copyright, unfair competition and criminal trademark law. Cases in the list were adjudicated by Courts spread over China and at different appeal levels.