It is learned from the relevant department of the Supreme People's Court that in 2006 courts throughout China made new headway in trial of IP cases. Courts at all levels and the mass IP judges meticulously tried, investigate and handled various kinds of intellectual property cases. Local courts accepted and closed 14,219 and 14,056 civil IP cases of first instance, an increase of 5.92% and 4.95% respectively, and 2,686 and 2,652 such cases of second instance, a decrease of 13.74% and 12.07%, on a year-on-year basis, respectively.

In 2006 local courts accepted and wound up 3,196 and 3,227 patent cases, 2,521 and 2,378 trademark cases, 5,719 and 5,751 copyright cases, 681 and 668 technology contract cases and 1,256 and 1,188 unjust competition cases. Among them there are 846 and 844 IP cases. In addition to further improvement of the IP proceeding system, two judicial interpretations applicable to legal matters involving cases of unjust competition and new plant species infringement were formulated, and the judicial interpretation of the network copyright cases was revised. All IP judges throughout the country overcame various difficulties such as heavy tasks, increase of new type of cases and tough trial, they concentrated to enhance their judicial capacity and increase their judicial level so that their professional quality was further improved as a whole.

2007-02-12

2007-02-12