Source: China IP News

On December 15, on the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of the founding of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Committee and Paralympic Committee, the emblems of the two games were unveiled at the Water Cube in Beijing. "The two emblems were a combination of profound Chinese culture, international modern style and Olympic Winter Game characteristics, which will surely leave its imprint on the history of Olympics Games," said Thomas Bach，President of the International Olympic Committee.

At the ceremony, the Committee of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games announced that it had filed trademark registration for the relevant emblems in China and overseas, and for the special symbols and copyright in China only.  So no organization or individual shall use, split, distort, change the emblem without being licensed.  These protected matters shall not be used as a part of any other pattern either.

On the promise of ensuring the emblems' ingenuity, the committee has filed trademark registration on 45 product/service classes before unveiling them.  The IOC and International Paralympics Committee have also filed trademark registration in other countries and regions.  In parallel, the emblems have been registered as special symbols in advance by the Beijing Committee.  So the emblems can be protected as special symbols before registered as trademarks.

Besides, the National Copyright Administration of China started specific actions to protect the copyright of the emblems.

 "At present, China' s Olympic-related IPR law system is properly in place.  For instance, the Regulations on the Protection of Olympic Symbols, trademark law, copyright law, the regulation on the management of special symbols have provided strong legal support for the games," said Huang Hui, Adjunct Professor at the IP Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.  "It is not only the responsibility of the host country to protect Olympic Games symbols, but also an indispensable  measure to ensure a successful Olympic Games," added Huang.