Shanghai further enhances IP protection efforts

Shanghai’s intellectual property authority released two additional lists of specially protected trademarks on Thursday as part of the city’s continued efforts to improve its business environment.

The two lists, the fourth and fifth released by the Shanghai Intellectual Property Bureau, include 27 trademarks from six foreign enterprises and 197 from 95 local time-honored brands.

Infringements of the listed trademarks will result in severe punishment and interprovincial crackdowns on counterfeits, online and offline, said the bureau.
Since the launch of the first list in November 2018, a total of 516 trademarks have been prioritized for protection.

“That being said, it doesn’t mean we don’t pay attention to the infringement of trademarks not in the lists,” said Gu Huirong, a bureau official.

Gu added that the bureau has been working with e-commerce companies and leveraging online platforms to detect the trading of counterfeit goods online.
The bureau has also enhanced its cooperation with provincial counterparts to share data of registered trademarks and coordinate joint crackdowns on counterfeits.

Since working together with provincial authorities, the bureau has found a host of shops in other provinces selling counterfeit time-honored Shanghai brands.

“The sharing of registered trademarks has been useful as authorities from other cities are not familiar with Shanghai time-honored brands,” Gu said.

Gu said more foreign brands have been requesting for such protection and that the bureau is set to include more trademarks by foreign companies in the lists to provide equal intellectual property protection to domestic and overseas firms.

Included in the two new lists were trademarks by foreign brands from countries such as Australia, Italy, Belgium, Japan, France and New Zealand. Notable companies include candy giant Ferrero, Hello Kitty owner Sanrio and kiwifruit seller Zespri.