CNIPA
Increasing Burden of Proof for Trademark Applicants in China
By Ashley Zhao | Posted on March 19, 2025
Based on the recent official notices issued by the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration) about non-use cancellation cases, applicants are now required to submit more stringent evidence to prove that the target trademark has not been used, including: Basic information about the trademark registrant, including business scope, operational status, and trademark registration details. Evidence...
CNIPA releases detailed guidelines on trademark licences
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on January 27, 2025
China’s Trademark Law stipulates that, when granting others the right to use registered trademarks, the licensor must record the licence with the China Trademark Office (CTMO). On 29 October 2024 the China National Intellectual Property Association (CNIPA) released the Guidelines on Registration Procedures for Trademark Licences, to help businesses understand the relevant legal provisions and...
Tags: china, CNIPA, Guidelines, licences, registration, trademarks
CNIPA’s Regulations on Collective and Certification Trademarks: keypoints highlighted
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on April 17, 2024
The regulations contain 28 provisions across several critical topics Registrants of collective and certification marks must implement several acts to carry out their trademark management duties Registrants do not have the right to prohibit certain legitimate uses of geographical names contained in collective and certification marks The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) issued the...
Tags: certification trademarks, china, CNIPA, collective trademarks, trademarks
CNIPA issues draft regulations on GIs – what you need to know
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on December 5, 2023
On 18 September 2023 the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) issued the “Draft Regulations on the Protection of Geographical Indication Products for Comment” (“地理标志产品保护规定(征求意见稿)”). The draft regulations are open to public comment until 2 November 2023. Background The draft regulations are part of the CNIPA’s first-ever “Five-Year Plan for the Protection and Utilisation of...
Key Takeaways: CNIPA notice on malicious trademark registrations
By Ashley Zhao | Posted on June 8, 2022
On 29 March 2022 the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the “Notice on Continuing to Severely Crack Down on the Malicious Registration of Trademarks”. The notice highlights the importance of trademark registration management to promote the development of intellectual property and create a favourable environment for innovation and business. It covers eight topics,...
Tags: CNIPA, registration, trademarks
China amends Guidelines for Patent Examination
By AWA | Posted on February 24, 2021
Following the fourth amendment to the PRC Patent Law by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in October 2020, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) initiated a comprehensive review of the Guidelines for Patent Examination (Examination Guidelines 2019). The Decision to Amend the Guidelines for Patent Examination (Examination Guidelines 2021) was issued by the...
Tags: china, CNIPA, Guidelines, Patent, PRC Patent Law, prosecution
CNIPA publishes trademark infringement criteria
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on October 15, 2020
To help strengthen and guide trademark law enforcement, provide uniform criteria for law enforcement, strengthen the protection of exclusive rights to use trademarks and create a good business environment, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has enacted the Criteria for Judging Trademark Infringement (Criteria), which went into effect on June 15, 2020. The Criteria...
How to fast track patent applications in China through prioritised patent examination
By AWA | Posted on June 24, 2020
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) is often used by applicants to expedite patent examinations. In China, an alternative to speed up examinations is the prioritised patent examination. Prioritised patent examination is not a new concept in China. It was first introduced in 2012 and most recently amended in 2017 in the Administrative Measures for Prioritised...
Tags: china, CNIPA, green technology, new technology, patents, PPH, Priortised Patent Examination
Clarifying the patentability of medical use inventions in China
By AWA | Posted on May 20, 2020
At the end of 2019, the new Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) emerged. It has gone on to infect millions of people worldwide and so far, claimed the lives of over a quarter of a million people. COVID-19 has disrupted the world economy like never before. At the same time, it has brought unprecedented global attention to disease...
Tags: china, CNIPA, EPO, Gilead, inventions, JPO, medical use, patents, Remdesivir
China further curbs bad-faith trademark applications
By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on April 20, 2020
Provisions enacted alongside China’s recently amended Trademark Law seek to effectively regulate bad-faith trademark filings including penalties through the nation’s social credit system In response to the bad-faith application regime, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) published Several Provisions for Regulating the Application for the Registration of Trademarks (Draft) on February 12, 2019. The...
Tags: applications, Bad faith, china, CNIPA, IP, malicious, registration, trademarks
Recent contributors
Senior Associate, Attorney at Law
Partner, Attorney at Law, Group Vice President
Partner, Attorney at Law, Business Area Manager
Senior Counsel, European Patent Attorney
Partner, European Patent Attorney, UPC Representative, Business Area Manager