Bureau Approved as Pilot Organization

CNIPA has recently approved the Shenzhen IP bureau to become a pilot organization for building a support system for inspection and appraisal technologies used to resolve IP disputes. In the one-year pilot period, the bureau will task the Shenzhen Institute of Standard and Technology with specific work, such as creating an inspection and appraisal system, forming related norms and setting up expert database and a case library for IP infringement inspection and appraisal. After the period, Shenzhen will further develop the system and include the inspection and appraisal into IP administrative law enforcement.

Shanghai Launches New Policies to Attract Global Enterprises

Shanghai will promote the development of regional headquarters of multinational corporations in the municipality, local authorities said Aug 6,2019. The requirement for the total assets of parent companies of regional headquarters has been adjusted to USD 200 million, according to the policies. To further facilitate R&D, Shanghai also plans to add renowned foreign trademarks that are vulnerable to infringement to the city’s key protection list, so as to provide better intellectual property protection services for the regional headquarters. In the first seven months of this year, 4,105 new foreign-funded projects were launched in Shanghai, up 58.3 percent over the same period in 2018.

Tighter Rules for Patent Agents Announced

New measures crack down on illegal behavior that includes improper applications, false advertising and dishonesty. The National Intellectual Property Administration recently announced new rules for patent agents and agencies. They will include supervision, punishment and law enforcement. CNIPA called for patent agencies to conduct self-regulation and sign a pledge to act lawfully and ethically. It also called on local authorities to investigate lawbreaking patent agents and agencies and punish them. CNIPA will supervise related illegal cases if needed and make sure they are well dealt with. CNIPA said it would collect information about illegal behavior from members of the public, investigate and transfer tipoffs to local bureaus. CNIPA plans to withdraw policy support for agencies which applied for unlawful patent applications in the first half of 2019.