Organizers vigilant on intellectual property protection
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2021-04-24 16:20:13
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While the Canton Fair has moved online, posing new challenges to intellectual property protection, its organizers’ efforts on this front have not relented.Business participants have paid growing attention to the issue. They have realized that innovation-driven development demands IP protection. It is a standard part of international transactions.During the ongoing fair’s preparation stage, the Guangdong trade delegation invited participating businesses to attend training offered by the Guangdong Patent Agency Association and organized IP lectures across the province.Its organizers also invited experts from the China National Intellectual Property Administration to interpret the Patent Law and explained the reasoning behind rulings over industrial design infringements to local businesses.Through enhanced promotion and education, they encouraged the use of IP, thus strengthening the full-range protection across the entire industrial chain.The Tianjin trade delegation is awarding company members that have done a good job in IP protection during the fair and punishing those that are found breaking regulations.The group has increased contact with Tianjin Customs. They inspect the businesses participating in the fair and check the quality of their products. Companies with adverse records are disqualified from attending the event.To better protect the interests of business participants in the online fair, the Liaoning trade delegation invited experts from Zeazong Law Firm, which specializes in international trade disputes, to offer consultancy services.The Shanghai trade delegation also increased its efforts to protect IP rights by using the fair’s mature mechanism. It has requested its business members familiarize themselves with the Canton Fair’s regulations and procedures that deal with IP infringement complaints.Learning from the last two sessions of the fair, the group’s organizers have urged its members to leave their accurate and full contact information at the event’s online exhibition management platform to ensure quick responses when a dispute is encountered. They have also suggested the companies sign standardized contracts, with detailed content and clear information on traded commodities.Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they also suggest businesses give a clear explanation of the clauses of force majeure and dispute settlement in their contracts, and take out related insurance policies to improve their capacities of risk control.Businesses’ increased awareness of IP protection has energize their innovation activities.Nanlong Industry and Trade, a kitchenware provider headquartered in Zhejiang province, has more than 150 patents. It has engaged in formulating drafts of more than 10 national and group standards. With its exports to more than 80 countries and regions, the brand of Nanlong has become a top choice for chain supermarkets including Walmart and Metro.By protecting its IP assets, developing patented technologies and creating its proprietary brands, the company has sharpened its competitive edge and won popularity among buyers from home and abroad at the Canton Fair, one of its executives said.Zhejiang Hooeasy Smart Technology, an awning manufacturer, has presented 25 new exhibits at the Canton Fair.The company has been granted 10 invention patents and 190 utility model patents. It has registered Hooeasy as a trademark via the Madrid international trademark registration system. The trademark protection network has expanded to 25 countries and regions, including Australia, Cambodia and India.
