The National IPR (intellectual property rights) Protection Working Group Office, in conjunction with other departments, has formulated China's Action Plan on IPR Protection 2006 to protect IPR and resolutely punish patent violations and other illegal activities.

The Action Plan clearly defines what China needs to do to protect IPR in 2006 by focusing on the major issues facing the national authorities. It is a comprehensive, scientific and highly workable approach, and will play an important role in guiding China's IPR protection strategies.

The Action Plan covers four major areas: trademarks, copyrights, patents and imports and exports.

These areas involve 11 government departments. They are:

1) The Ministry of Public Security

2) The Ministry of Information Industry

3) The Ministry of Commerce

4) The Ministry of Culture

5) The General Administration of Customs

6) The State Administration for Industry and Commerce

7) The General Administration of Quality Inspection, Supervision and Quarantine

8) The National Copyright Administration

9) The State Food and Drug Administration

10) The State Intellectual Property Office

11) The Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council

The Action Plan covers the following  areas: legislation, law enforcement, mechanism building, training and education, international communication and co-operation, corporate responsibility, services to rights holders, and subject research.

This year, China will draft, formulate and revise 17 laws, regulations, rules and measures relating to trademarks, copyrights, patents, and customs protection. It will also draft, improve and revise six judicial interpretations.

IPR law enforcement efforts will include seven dedicated campaigns, which have been colourfully named Mountain Eagle, Sunshine and Blue Sky, among others. Eight regular enforcement initiatives and 20 specific measures will also be priorities.

The government will establish a long-standing, 11-part mechanism that includes a service centre for reporting IPR violations and publicizing law enforcement statistics, in addition to 18 specific measures. Seven approaches and 39 measures will be adopted to raise  public awareness of IPR.

The focus of IPR-related international exchanges and co-operation will be on legislation, trademarks, copyrights, patents and customs protection, which will be facilitated through 19 co-operative activities. Seven of these will be between China and the United States. Three initiatives will be launched to improve corporate awareness of IPR protection, and a conference will be held on IPR protection and proprietary innovation. Twelve specific measures covering 9 areas will be put in place to better serve rights holders.

Countermeasure-oriented research will also be conducted in five fields to strengthen IPR protection.

State Office of Intellectual Property Protection

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