New Plan Prioritises IPR Protection for Foreign-Invested Enterprises

A new IPR Protection Plan for Foreign-Invested Enterprises (FIEs) has been jointly issued by 12 government departments, including the Office of the National Leading Group on the Fight Against IPR Infringement and Counterfeiting and the State Intellectual Property Office. The plan will form the centerpiece of a government-backed campaign aimed at highlighting the criminal nature of all such infringements, which will run until the end of the year.

Under the terms of the plan, 11 initiatives are designated as priorities, including a general crackdown on all illicit infringements of confidential trade practices and techniques, patent protection, properly-secured rights for new plant varieties and an end to malicious preemptive trademark registrations, passing off and digital piracy. At the same time, moves are to be made to strengthen the supervision of a number of key areas, including import and export practices, as well as postal and courier services. Overall, all instances of IPR infringement and counterfeiting are to be duly investigated, with all transgressors set to receive heavy penalties.

For further details (in Chinese), please refer to the following link:

Office of the National Leading Group on the Fight against IPR Infringement and Counterfeiting and 11 Other Departments Jointly Issue IPR Protection Action Plan for FIEs