Roving Seminars in the EU on the Chinese Trademark System
Following a two-day expert roundtable in June 23-24, 2016 in Beijing (see relevant activity description), between October 11 and 18, 2016 IP Key and the Chinese State Administration for Industry & Commerce (in short, SAIC) carried out - for the second time since the start of the Action - a series of “roving seminars” to explain to the European audience the reforms adopted in 2014 by the State Council to the Chinese Trademark Law.
The seminars took place in Copenhagen, Milan and Madrid, featuring presentations of examiners and officials of the Chinese Trademark Office and Review Adjudication Board (TRAB), who addressed key topics in the reform of specific interest to foreign (EU) trademark owners, ranging from the protection of well-known brands, to the cross-classification of goods & services and issues in the proof of use, among others.
The seminar’s discussions provided also the opportunity for promoting further integration of trademark databases around the world, where access of the CTMO’s trademark register to TMView could mark a great advancement, to the benefit of users in China and EU.
For more detailed information, please download the programs and presentations from our website.
In total, more than 250 trademark professionals and in-house counsels of EU companies attended the seminars, with approximately 100 attendees in both Milan and Madrid, thanks to the support offered by the Danish Patent & Trademark Office (which hosted the event at their premises in Copenhagen), Italian Ministry of Economic Development and Spanish Patent & Trademark Office (OEPM), INDICAM, Italy-China Chamber of Commerce and Milan Chamber of Commerce, ANDEMA.
Chinese presentations were followed by extensive Q&A sessions while leading EU trademark experts provided further insights from their experience with the Chinese trademark system.
Back-to-back to the seminars and during a very busy agenda, SAIC’s representatives engaged in bilateral discussions with their local counterparts in Denmark, Italy, Spain and the EUIPO, covering protection of trademarks and Geographical Indications.
IP Key appreciates once again SAIC’s cooperation and high level of professional engagement displayed by the representatives of the Chinese Trademark Office and TRAB, who have worked with the Action for the success of this major activity in the EU-China IP Cooperation plan.
For further information please contact the activity coordinator Davide Follador at davide.follador@ipkey.org.