Organizers hash out rules for IP owners

Focusing on innovation, the 127th Canton Fair strives to provide effective protection for participants' intellectual property.

Organizers' efforts for IP protection started during the run-up to the fair. Collaborating with the National Intellectual Property Administration, they called on trade delegations from provinces and cities to self-examine their exhibits.

The fair also released an online self-check guidance for businesses to reduce the risk of infringement.

Considering the fair went completely digital for the first time, rules concerning IP protection were revised in line with the online model. Once a commodity is accused of violating others' IP rights, its exhibitor must remove the suspected product within a given time or provide a valid defense, according to the rules.

In the case of disputes and complaints, exhibitors should actively exercise the right to defend and correct in accordance with regulations of the fair to prevent adverse consequences resulting from an improper response, said He Jufeng, vice-director of the Guangdong Intellectual Property Administration.

In addition, the fair has built an online platform to process IP complaints. Registered users can submit complaints, withdraw applications and check up on a progress report about how their cases have been handled.

An IP protection team was also set up offline, consisting of government officials and experts to provide professional judgments.