Source: China IP News

An executive meeting of the State Council of China held recently has determined the measures to reduce government fees and service charges, including further reduction of patent filing fee and annual fee from July 1.  Significant dip is required, for example, a plunge of fee for trademark registration renewal from 1,000 yuan to 500 yuan.

"Further reduction of patent filing fee, annual fee, and trademark registration renewal fee is of significance to lower innovation costs and invigorate development of enterprises, inspire businesses and the general public to file patent and trademark applications, and encourage shift of the focus from quantity to quality in terms of IP creations," said Peng Xuelong, professor of School of Intellectual Property, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law.

"The reduction in patent application fee and patent annual fee will help enterprises cut some costs, relieving our pressure in innovation. Before that, enterprises really had to live with the pressure from those," said Yang Dong, chairman of Zhengzhou Chunquan Energy-Saving Company when he was informed of the policy. As a small and specialized high-tech private company, it owns more than 200 patents. Yang also hopes the government can provide appropriate support to enterprises based on the quality of their patents and actual use of patents, allowing more companies to grow on their own innovations.

Wu Yuetao, executive director of Red Woods Agriculture and Husbandry Marine Products Company, gives his opinion that the reduction in government fees is an act to benefit enterprises, especially for stable and sound development of small and medium enterprises. Wu is keen on building his own brand. He filed the application for "红树林" (Note: Chinese for Red Woods) trademark  when the company was still prepared for launch. "Many companies often encounter problems such as trademark infringement and counterfeiting. Last year, when I attended an IP training course organized by China National Intellectual Property Administration, I was informed that damages for trademark infringement in China is lower than other countries, sometimes massively lower. Counterfeit products will continue their presence and original brands will have difficulty to grow if the government does not increase damages for infringement," said Wu.

Wu noticed that this executive meeting of the State Council adopted the draft amendment of the Trademark Law, which addresses issues such as intensifying sanctions against trademark infringement and significantly increasing damages.

"Invoking more severe sanctions against trademark infringement is to implement the requirements of this year's government work report, specifically those of  'Comprehensively strengthening IPR protection and cracking down on the production and sale of fake and inferior commodities', helping better safeguard the rights and interests of enterprises and the public, creating a sound business environment, practicing a brand strategy of our country and promoting China to become a trademark power," said Peng Xuelong.