IP Key China with the input of the EPO has produced a Chinese communication package on the Unitary Patent System and the Unitary Patent Court. This materials are divided in three comprehensive documents that can be found in English in the EPO website:

E-commerce has been developing rapidly in recent years, fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers and businesses prefer online trading due to lockdowns and social-distancing policies. But the online environment has been a more popular target for online infringers, which challenges the EU business and right holders to protect intellectual property in the Chinese online market.

The Patent system intends to spur innovation by providing an exclusive right to inventors for 20 years in exchange for making their inventions known through publication. Robust and efficient protection of Patents is key to assuring that this system can be maintained, thereby benefiting right holders, researchers, and the economy as a whole.

Trade marks are of significance to EU business in China. Ensuring sufficient protection of trade marks is vital to maintain repute and hold market share.

Since 2017, a variety of activities implemented by IP Key China have addressed several issues which remain prevalent on the Chinese market. These include bad faith applications, the onerous burden of proof, and the protection of well-known trade marks:   

Alignment of Legislation:

Trade secrets are an essential component for businesses to protect confidential information which provide them a competitive edge. They are broad in scope and unlimited in time but reasonable steps need be taken to keep them from being revealed.

The Study on China’s Design Patent System is an important part of the patent study series initiated by IP Key China, which follows the published Studies on Bad-faith patent application, Patent Invalidation System and Utility Model System in China.

Based on China’s Patent Law (the 4th Amendment), the study is composed of five parts, including:

With the new advances in technology in the digital landscape, the expansion of virtual marketplaces and fresh business models are reshaping the copyright system. As a result, many aspects of copyright, including legislation, enforcement and the types of cooperation used, need to be adapted. Faced with a challenging environment, IP Key China has continuously explored and implemented a variety of cooperation practices. It achieves this with the participation of multiple stakeholders, who respond positively to EU copyright holders in the Chinese market.