On 30 August 2013 the Standing Committee of the
National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, passed the third
revision to the Trademark Law. The new law will
take effect on 1 May 2014. Here are some of
the main changes:
Faster prosecution: Under the former law there were no time limits
for prosecuting applications, oppositions, requests for cancellation, or
disputes, and proceedings were very slow. The law has been amended to specify time limits of from 9 to 12 months
for each proceeding, extendible for 6 or 12 months.
Sound and other non-traditional trademarks The new law paves the way for registration of sound marks and other non-traditional marks, though the latter are not specifically mentioned in the amended version of the law.
Multi-class filings Up to now, trademark filings in China have
required a separate application for each class, even for the same trademark. Under the new law, China joins other countries,
like Spain, in allowing a single application to claim multiple classes.
Electronic filing: Applications may be filed electronically now, but only on a limited basis. The new law specifies electronic filing as a valid means of filing applications and also makes provision for the electronic filing of all sorts of documents relating to an application.
Labeling of well-known brands: From entry into force of the new Trademark Law, sellers and manufacturers will not be able to label their products as well known in any sector of trade. In the event of non-compliance, the seller/manufacturer may be fined RMB 100,000 (approximately 12,500 euros).
New grounds for contesting bad-faith applications: Under the provisions of the new law, a trademark shall not be registered for goods that are the same or similar to those on which an earlier mark has been used where the applicant for the trademark has had a contractual, business, or other relationship with the owner of the earlier identical or similar mark and had knowledge of the earlier mark.
