The State Council Issues Opinions on Further Optimizing the Foreign Investment Environment and Increasing Efforts to Attract Foreign Investment
Date: 13 August 2023
The recently issued Opinions aim to attract foreign investment by further improving the relevant business environment in China. The Opinions propose 24 policy measures in six major areas including the utilization of foreign investment; ensuring national treatment for foreign investment enterprises; and continuously strengthening the protection available to foreign investment. In terms of the protection available for foreign investment, the Opinions emphasize the need to strengthen the administrative protection of intellectual property rights, improve the administrative adjudication system for patent infringement disputes, and enhance the enforcement of administrative adjudication. The Opinions also encourage reliance on intellectual property workstations for processing applications for copyrights, patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights during product exhibitions, and provide effective preventive measures against infringement. In addition, the Opinions also make it clear that it is necessary to intensify the administrative enforcement of intellectual property rights, crack down on the infringement of intellectual property rights of foreign investment enterprises, and carry out special enforcement actions against cross-regional and related infringement actions. For cases with clear facts and solid evidence, the enforcement process should be accelerated in accordance with the law with appropriately simplified procedural requirements.
Source: The State Council
https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/202308/content_6898048.htm
国务院印发《关于进一步优化外商投资环境 加大吸引外商投资力度的意见》
发文日期：2023-08-13
《意见》提出包括提高利用外资质量、保障外商投资企业国民待遇、持续加强外商投资保护等在内的6方面24条政策措施。在保护外商投资方面，《意见》指出，要强化知识产权行政保护，完善专利侵权纠纷行政裁决制度，加大行政裁决执行力度。支持各地区依托展会知识产权工作站，受理参展产品版权、专利、商标等知识产权申请，提供有效预防侵权措施。此外，《意见》还明确，要加大知识产权行政执法力度，坚决打击侵犯外商投资企业知识产权的行为，针对跨区域、链条化侵权违法行为开展专项执法行动。对事实清楚、证据确凿的案件依法加快办理进度，适当简化程序性要求。
资料来源：国务院
新闻链接：https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/202308/content_6898048.htm
The SPP Publishes Information on Characteristics of Crimes Involving Intellectual Property Rights in the First Half of 2023
Date: 4 August 2023
The Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) has published information in relation to the cases involving intellectual property crimes that were accepted in the first half of 2023. During this period, the procuratorates throughout China accepted cases involving 11,675 persons suspected of having committed intellectual property infringement crimes, a year-on-year increase of 36.1%. The crimes fell into the following categories. First, a high proportion, 88.9%, of the cases involved trademarks, with an increase in cases involving new forms of infringement and emerging fields. There is increased criminal activity in relation to the sale of refurbished electronic products posing as new products, and the utilization of live streaming platforms to sell counterfeit goods. Secondly, there is an increasing number of new cases involving copyright infringement. The procuratorates accepted cases against 1122 individuals involved in the crime of copyright infringement, a year-on-year increase of 89.7%. In addition to traditional cases involving the production and sale of pirated books, new types of infringements such as the use of reverse engineering to extract, reproduce and distribute the computer software of others, and the use of information network technology to illegally grab and disseminate literary and film works, have continued to emerge. Thirdly, the procuratorates accepted cases against 167 persons for crimes relating to trade secrets, a year-on-year increase of 89.8%. A large number of these involved internal employees. In terms of the type of trade secrets involved, the main types were software source code, technical solutions, equipment drawings, and other technical information.
Source: SPP
https://www.spp.gov.cn/xwfbh/wsfbh/202308/t20230804_623890.shtml
最高人民检察院披露2023年上半年涉知识产权犯罪特点
日期：2023-08-04
最高人民检察院发布检察机关上半年受理审查起诉侵犯知识产权犯罪情况，2023年上半年，全国检察机关共受理审查起诉侵犯知识产权犯罪11675人，同比增长36.1%。侵犯知识产权犯罪呈现出以下三个方面的新特点：第一，侵犯商标权犯罪占比高，新业态新领域案件增多。2023年上半年，检察机关共受理审查起诉侵犯商标权犯罪10384人，占侵犯知识产权犯罪受理人数的88.9%。犯罪逐渐向新兴行业领域蔓延，例如翻新电子产品冒充新品销售。一些犯罪分子利用直播带货方式售假。第二，新型侵犯著作权案件多发，犯罪手段技术性增强。2023年上半年，检察机关共受理审查起诉侵犯著作权犯罪1122人，同比上升1.9倍。除了制售盗版图书等传统案件类型外，利用反向工程提取并复制发行他人计算机软件、利用信息网络技术非法爬取并传播他人文学影视作品等新型侵权案件不断出现。第三，侵犯商业秘密犯罪危害大，内部员工作案比例高。2023年上半年，检察机关共受理审查起诉侵犯商业秘密犯罪167人，同比上升89.8%。商业秘密种类看，软件源代码、技术方案、设备图纸等技术信息为主要类型。
资料来源：最高检
新闻链接：https://www.spp.gov.cn/xwfbh/wsfbh/202308/t20230804_623890.shtml
The National Copyright Administration and Three Other Departments Jointly Launch Sword Net 2023 Special Action
Date: 29 August 2023
The National Copyright Administration, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace Administration of China jointly launched Sword Net 2023 Special Action to combat online copyright infringement and piracy, which would take place from August to November 2023. The Sword Net 2023 Special Action focuses on three areas. First, sports events, on demand cinemas, and cultural and creative products. Copyright protection for key sports event programs will be strengthened; for example, combating unauthorized and illegal broadcasting of sports events such as the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Para Games. The copyright supervision for on demand cinemas and private theaters will also be strengthened, as well as the protection of copyright for cultural and creative products in museums, art galleries, libraries, and other cultural and creative institutions. Secondly, online videos, online news and audiobooks. Proposed action included copyright protection for key video websites (APP) and crackdown on copyright infringement in short videos and the unauthorized reproduction and dissemination of news. Thirdly, e-commerce platforms, browsers and search engines. Special rectification measures for copyright issues arising on e-commerce platforms and the regulation of unauthorized dissemination of online literature and videos by browsers and search engines.
The Sword Net 2023 Special Action is the 19th consecutive effort carried out by China to combat online copyright infringement and piracy. Since 2005, the National Copyright Administration and other departments have carried out consecutive special rectification actions to deal with online copyright infringement and piracy, which has effectively deterred such behaviors.
Source: The Chinese Central Government's Official Website
https://www.gov.cn/lianbo/bumen/202308/content_6900802.htm
国家版权局等四部门联合启动“剑网2023”专项行动
日期：2023-08-29
国家版权局、工业和信息化部、公安部、国家互联网信息办公室四部门联合开展打击网络侵权盗版“剑网2023”专项行动，时间为2023年8月至11月。“剑网2023”专项行动将以三个方面为重点开展整治，第一，以体育赛事、点播影院、文博文创为重点，既要加强重点体育赛事节目版权保护，打击未经授权非法传播杭州亚运会和亚残运会等体育赛事节目的行为，又要加强对点播影院、私人影吧的版权监管和对博物馆、美术馆、图书馆等文博单位文化创意产品版权保护力度。第二，以网络视频、网络新闻、有声读物为重点，深入开展对重点视频网站（APP）的版权监管工作，整治短视频侵权行为和未经授权转载新闻作品的违规传播行为。第三，以电商平台、浏览器、搜索引擎为重点，开展电商平台版权专项整治，重点规范浏览器、搜索引擎未经授权传播网络文学、网络视频等行为。
“剑网2023”专项行动是中国持续开展的第19次打击网络侵权盗版专项行动。自2005年起，国家版权局等部门针对网络侵权盗版的热点难点问题连续开展专项整治，有效打击和震慑了网络侵权盗版行为。
资料来源：中国政府网
新闻链接：https://www.gov.cn/lianbo/bumen/202308/content_6900802.htm
Tesla Wins Trademark Infringement Case - Court Rules Tesla Series Trademarks Constitute Well-Known Trademarks
Date: 10 August 2023
The Defendant Zhongyin Foods Co., Ltd. (‘Zhongyin Foods’) has been producing and selling a series of alcoholic beverages named ‘Tesla Soda’ and ‘Tesla Beer’ since 2019, under a trademark featuring a ‘T’ logo. It used slogans such as ‘The Pioneer Brand of American Pre-mixed Drinks’ and ‘Top International Brand’ for promotion and showcased the image of Tesla Model X cars in its promotional materials. Upon discovering the above actions, Tesla filed a lawsuit for trademark infringement against Zhongyin Foods.
After the hearing, the Court held that the Tesla series of trademarks qualified as well-known trademarks. The Defendant had deliberately misled consumers by using the Tesla trademark for the promotion of its products. This constituted trademark infringement. The Court ordered the Defendant to immediately stop the infringement of Tesla’s series trademark, cease the unfair competition, and compensate Tesla in the sum of RMB 5 million (approx. US$ 700,000). Zhongyin Foods appealed unsuccessfully: the Shanghai High People’s Court upheld the original judgment.
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Registered Trademark of TESLA |
Illustration of the Defendant’s Products |
Source: Shanghai Securities News
https://news.cnstock.com/news,bwkx-202308-5104307.htm
特斯拉商标侵权案胜诉，法院认定特斯拉系列商标构成驰名商标
日期：2023-08-10
被告中饮食品有限公司（下称“中饮食品”）自2019年开始生产、销售一系列名为“特斯拉苏打酒”、“特斯拉啤酒”的酒精饮品，商标为“T”型标志，以“美国预调酒先驱品牌”“国际顶尖品牌”等字样作为宣传标语，并在宣传图中使用特斯拉Model X车型。特斯拉中国公司发现后以商标侵权为由将其诉至法院。
法院经审理认定特斯拉系列商标为驰名商标，中饮食品利用特斯拉名号误导消费者，存在主观恶意，构成商标侵权。最终法院判处被告中饮食品立即停止对特斯拉系列商标专用权的侵害，停止不正当竞争行为，向特斯拉赔偿人民币500万元，中饮食品不服一审判决并提起上诉，上海市高级人民法院二审最终维持原判。
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TESLA注册商标 |
被告产品图示 |
资料来源：上海证券报