Aug.5 -- Zhejiang Provincial Intellectual Property Office is actively mapping out intellectual property rights (IPR) rapid aid centers to promote regional innovative development. Recently, the State Intellectual Property Office of the P.R.C (SIPO) officially approved to establish the "China Wenzhou (Clothing) IPR Rapid Aid Center", which is the second state-level IPR rapid aid center in Zhejiang Province since the "China Hangzhou (Pen Making) IPR Rapid Aid Center". It is also the 12th IPR rapid aid center established throughout the country.
 
By the end of 2015, the number of applications for registration of design from the clothing industry in Zhejiang was 73,122, accounting for 19.2% of the total applications for registration of design submitted by the clothing industry nationwide. Following Jiangsu, it ranks second in the province, far surpassing other regions in application number. In recent three years (from 2013 to 2015), the number of applications for registration of design from clothing industry in the province was 34,129; Wenzhou takes up one third of the total applications. At present, the period of authorization, which takes almost half a year, is not compatible with the fast updated speed of the industry. That the innovative designs of an enterprise not receiving immediate and effective protection has formed barrier for industry innovation-driven development. According to related industrial associations, over 2000 intellectual property rights (IPR) disputes occur in the e-commerce area and shoe and clothing industries each year. To quicken the examination and approval of proprietary IPR, effectively lower the risk of IPR and enhance protection of IPR in the industry has become an urgent expectation of the enterprises. On July 13, the SIPO officially delivered documents to approve the China Wenzhou (Clothing) IPR Rapid Aid Center be established.

With the establishment of the IPR rapid aid center, the period of authorization for patent of industrial design has largely reduced: instead of half a year, it now takes only 30 workdays to be processed. In some cases, the period can be reduced to about one week. The resolving time for patent disputes related to designs, which previously took about half a year, has now reduced to one month. This has greatly enhanced the efficiency for enterprises to defend their IPR, as well as lowered the risk cost, and helped the enterprises to realize its transformation and upgrading. (Translated from SIPO Website Chinese Version)