Source: China IP News

On December 7, China National Intellectual Property Administration(CNIPA) issued the Circular on the Several Measures for Serving Innovation Development of Private Enterprises Through Intellectual Property, listing 10 specific measures, towards difficulties and pains which private enterprises are facing and providing powerful support for quality and efficiency improvement and innovation development.

As shown by statistics, as of the end of 2017, there are over 27 million privately-owned enterprises who are responsible for 65% patents, over 75% technology innovation and over 80% new products developments in China. In recent years, IP policies have been striving to fully play the role of basic guarantee for intellectual property to innovation-driven development and stimulate the innovative force of privately-owned enterprises.

On November 15, China Intellectual Property Protection Center (Ningbo) began its operation. Pendency for invention patent applications filed through this center will be shrunk to three to six months from 22 months; utility model and designs to one month and 15 days respectively. 

Since 2016, focusing on the construction of IP protection centers, CNIPA has accelerated establishing convenient, efficient and low-cost right enforcement options and promoting one-stop service for IP administrative protection. These measures could provide effective protection, meanwhile save time and money for enterprises, and are thought highly by the public, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Circular provides very specific requirements for IP protection centers, that is, expanding percentage of privately-owned enterprises on the service target list, perfecting one-stop service mechanism through fast-track grant, right determination and enforcement to significantly improve IP creation and protection efficiency of privately-owned enterprises in key industries.

In recently years, CNIPA has been keeping broadening IP value realization channels, strongly developing new modes for patent pledge financing, forwarding generalization, normalization and large scale for IP pledge financing service, guiding local governments to explore patent pledge financing paths suiting sci-tech type SMEs and micro enterprises. During the decade between 2008 and 2017, nearly 300 billion yuan has been loaned through patent pledge financing in the nation, easing financing difficulties for SMEs and effectively supporting them to accomplish innovation-driven development via IP.

'Expanding IP pledge financing coverage among privately-owned enterprises' is a specific requirement proposed in the Circular. Further, the Circular requires having a good knowledge of IP pledging needs of these enterprises, building bridges between banks and enterprises through project road shows and roundtables.

"We must be problem-orientated, focus on real-life IP-related difficulties and problems met by privately-owned enterprises, precisely implement policies, efficiently promote them and seek substantial fruits." noted a CNIPA principal.