For any EU SME operating in China, Trade Marks will be an important IP asset to have. So in order to meet any questions you might have, our China IPR SME Helpdesk expert Mr. Charles Feng from East & Concord Partners based in Beijing has kindly drafted for us a very useful and informative blog post on Trade Mark Protection in China. In this comprehensive Trade Mark guide, our Q&A with Mr. Feng will give you all the answers you need on Trade Mark protection in China.
1 Relevant Authorities and Legislation
1.1 What is the relevant trade mark authority in your jurisdiction?
The Trademark Office (“TMO”), which is affiliated with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, is the authorised government agency in charge of trademark administration including examinations of trademark applications, oppositions as well as the cancellation of trademark registrations for three years of non-use. The Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (“TRAB”) oversees the examination of various applications for appeals against the TMO’s decisions, as well as trademark invalidation matters.
In addition, local Administrations for Industry and Commerce (“AICs”) or Market Supervision Administrations (“MSAs”) are in charge of the administrative enforcement of trademark rights.
People’s Courts have jurisdiction over trials for trademark-related administrative or civil litigation.
1.2 What is the relevant trade mark legislation in your jurisdiction?
The most fundamental legislations include the Trademark Law of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC Trademark Law”), the Implementing Regulations of the PRC Trademark Law as well as multiple Judicial Interpretations related to trademark law which are issued by the Supreme People’s Court.
In addition, the Anti-Unfair Competition Law of PRC provides protection to unregistered marks such as distinctive names, packaging or decoration of famous goods. The criminal code provides protection against counterfeiting activities where the illegal turnover exceeds a certain amount.
This week we will continue the basic IPR series for Cambodia and focus on the copyright protection. Today’s blog post gives a general overview of copyright protection in Cambodia and discusses the importance of voluntarily registering your copyright. You will also find information on how to enforce your copyright in the unfortunate case of copyright infringement.
Last week we discussed trade mark protection in Cambodia, one of the fast growing South-East Asian Countries. With today’s blog post we will continue expanding our IP knowledge on Cambodia and delve into patent protection, taking a closer look on how to obtain and enforce your patents in Cambodia.
In Malaysia, no pure information can be considered property. However, as a party to TRIPS and other agreements, Malaysia does have laws which prevent the unauthorised disclosure of information. This information is commonly referred to as “trade secrets,” although it is called “confidential information” in Malaysian law. This definition means that trade secrets cannot be proactively registered, but can form the basis of action taken against others. Confidential information in Malaysia can also take the form of virtually any other confidential information which was secret and protected by contractual agreements.
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