China Strengthens Management on Patent Administrative Enforcement Certificates

Recently, the State Intellectual Property Office of PRC (SIPO) issued the Measures on Management of Certificates and identifications for Patent Administrative Enforcement (Trial) to implement the management system on certificates and qualifications for patent enforcement personnel and regulate patent administrative enforcement.

According to the measures, the certificates for patent administrative enforcement should be managed in a unified way and on a level-to-level basis across the nation. While enforcement personnel are performing their duties, they should carry and take the initiatives to show the certificates for patent administrative enforcement and use the certificates in the enforcement areas identified by the certificates and within the term of validity.

SIPO is responsible for the application, picking-up, checking, issuance, verification and supervision of certificates for patent administrative enforcement personnel across the country. The applicants should take the on-the-job training organized either by SIPO or by the department in charge of patent work upon the approval of SIPO and shall pass the related qualification examination as well.

SIPO will organize and carry out annual review of certificates for patent administrative enforcement among all levels of patent offices in order to further improve the quality of the enforcement. The personnel who meet the requirement will be incorporated into the database of the enforcement personnel.

(Source: SIPO)