Jiangsu: application for intellectual property rights protection in the year of 2018 kicked off with BeiDou selected to be one of the analysis projects of patent pre-alert for key industries

Recently, Jiangsu Provincial Intellectual Property Bureau and the Provincial Finance Bureau jointly released the Notice on Organizing the Application of Intellectual Property Rights Protection Projects of Jiangsu Province in 2018 (hereafter referred to as Notice), which marked the official kick off of the intellectual property rights (IPR) protection application in 2018.

The Notice pointed out that the IPR protection projects of Jiangsu Province in 2018 consists of three parts, namely patent pre-alert analysis for key industries, IPR protection of E-commerce platforms, IPR rights protection and support. The analysis project of patent pre-alert for key industries offers decisions and advice to key industries within the province involving the policy making of development strategies, approval of scientific research projects, indigenous innovation of enterprise, sales and marketing via its analysis of concerned industry’s global patent information to help companies steer away from patent risks. The project further extended its support to 10 pre-alert analysis projects in the strategic emerging industries concerning technologies such as BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, exoskeleton robot technology and new aerospace material in 2018. It will select 4-6 undertaken projects that have passed acceptance for continued supports. IPR protection project of E-commerce platform aims to assist E-commerce platforms with certain scale and stable operation in building and maturing IPR management institution, regulation, reports and complaints mechanisms as well as exploring a long-term effective mechanism of IPR protection in E-commerce field. It plans to support 6 to 8 E-commerce platforms in 2018. IPR rights protection and support project helps Jiangsu companies in overseas IPR protection and IPR infringement investigation raised by foreign governments or companies who win a lawsuit or reach a settlement in IPR disputes with foreign parties with the aim to protect their rights. It pays attention to key industries, competitive industries with characteristics or companies in conformance with the adjustment and optimization direction of Jiangsu’s industrial structure.

According the Notice requirements, entities who apply for the IPR protection project should be registered within Jiangsu Province, have independent legal person qualification, good social credit in terms of entities and legal representatives and no major breach of IPR. The Notice pointed out that the implementation period for patent pre-alert analysis project of key industries lasts one year, while the period for IPR protection of E-commerce platform lasts two years. It also identified three detailed conditions for the application of three sub-projects and requirements for the application work.