By Haiyu Li, Lawyer at Chofn IP
On 24 January 2022, the China National IP Administration (CNIPA) announced its achievements in 2021 in accurately cracking down bad-faith trademark applications through the joint efforts of different offices in the procedures of registration, opposition, reviews, etc. In total, the CNIPA cracked down 482K bad-faith applications without intention to use, invalidated ex officio more than 1,700 registered trademarks, rejected in an expedited manner 1,111 applications likely to cause significant bad influences, and refused the assignment of 421 trademarks to curb bad-faith trademark hoarding. By adopting such measures as early examination, joint examination and oral examination and applying stricter examination criteria in disapproving, rejecting and invalidating relevant trademarks, the CNIPA strengthens its crackdown efforts in opposition and review procedures relating to bad-faith trademark prosecution cases.
After innovation and reform, the CNIPA finished the substantial examination of 10.57 million trademark applications, 170K oppositions, 383K review cases. On average, the duration of new application examination is kept at 4 months, the opposition examination shortened to 11 months, and rejection appeals and complicated review cases shortened to 5.5 and 9 months respectively. Examination of online requests for recording changes is kept within 24 days, renewals within 12 days, and assignments within 2 months.
The official Chinese news is available at the official website: http://sbj.cnipa.gov.cn/gzdt/202201/t20220124_339344.html.
