Following acceptance of the State Council Institutional Reform Plan, China’s IP Administration (CNIPA) has been elevated to a top level institution and a National Data Bureau will be established
Date: 10 March 2023
On 10 March, the National People’s Congress approved the Institutional Reform Plan (Plan) that had been introduced by the State Council on 7 March. The Plan provided that, in order to accelerate the building of an intellectual property powerhouse and comprehensively improve intellectual property creation, use, protection, management and services, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), currently managed by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), would be elevated to an institution directly under the State Council. After the adjustment, the market regulation comprehensive law enforcement teams would still be responsible for trademark, patent and other law enforcement in their respective fields, with relevant enforcement work receiving professional guidance from the CNIPA.
The Proposal also mentioned that, considering the significant role of digital resources and the digital economy in economic and social development, the building of a modern economic system, and the formation of new competitive advantages for the state, a National Data Bureau would be established, administered by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The National Data Bureau will be responsible for coordinating and promoting the establishment of the basic data system, and advancing the planning and building of digital China, digital economy, and digital society. The responsibilities related to data previously undertaken by the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and the NDRC will be transferred to the National Data Bureau.
Source: The State Council of the People's Republic of China
Link: http://www.gov.cn/guowuyuan/2023-03/08/content_5745356.htm
国务院机构改革方案调整国知局为直属机构并组建国家数据局
发文日期：2023-03-07
3月7日，十四届全国人大一次会议举行第二次全体会议，听取了关于国务院机构改革方案的说明。本次国务院关于提请审议国务院机构改革方案的议案提出，为加快推进知识产权强国建设，全面提升知识产权创造、运用、保护、管理和服务水平，将国家知识产权局由国家市场监督管理总局管理的国家局调整为国务院直属机构。调整之后，市场监管综合执法队伍仍然承担商标、专利等领域执法职责，相关执法工作接受国家知识产权局专业指导。
该议案同时提出考虑到数字资源、数字经济对经济社会发展、建设现代化经济体系、构筑国家竞争新优势具有重大意义，组建国家数据局，作为国家发展和改革委员会管理的国家局，负责协调推进数据基础制度建设，统筹推进数字中国、数字经济、数字社会规划和建设等。将之前由中央网络安全和信息化委员会办公室、国家发展和改革委员会承担的数据相关职责划入国家数据局。
资料来源：中央人民政府网 2023-03-07
新闻链接：http://www.gov.cn/guowuyuan/2023-03/08/content_5745356.htm
Intellectual Property Court of the Supreme People’s Court Issues 2022 Annual Report
Date: 30 March 2023
On 30 March 2023, the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) issued the Annual Report of the Intellectual Property Court (IPC) for 2022. The Report states that in 2022 the IPC accepted a total of 6183 technology-related intellectual property appeal cases and monopoly appeal cases, an increase of 18% compared to 2021. Analysis of the cases shows a continuous increase in the number of infringement cases; a decline in the number of administrative cases; a large number of cases involving strategic emerging industries; as well as the Court’s strengthened functional role at all trial levels.
The 1338 new cases involving strategic emerging industries accounted for 30.4% of all newly accepted cases, an increase of 3.5% compared to 2021. Among these cases, the number involving new industries and new fields, such as new generation information technology, biomedicine, high-end equipment manufacturing, standard essential patents, drug patent linkage, layout design of integrated circuit, and new plant varieties, increased considerably.
Source: The Supreme People’s Court
Link: https://www.court.gov.cn/zixun-xiangqing-394802.html
最高法知识产权法庭发布2022年年度报告
日期：2023-03-30
3月30日，最高人民法院发布《知识产权法庭年度报告（2022）》。报告显示，2022年，法庭共受理技术类知识产权和垄断上诉案件6183件，与2021年相比，受案数量增长18%。2022年，最高法知识产权法庭受理案件有侵权案件持续增长、行政案件有所下降、涉战略新兴产业案件占比大、审级职能作用强化4个特点。2022年新收涉战略新兴产业案件1338件，占全部新收案件的30.4%，较2021年提高3.5个百分点。其中，涉新一代信息技术、生物医药、高端装备制造、标准必要专利、药品专利链接、集成电路布图设计、植物新品种等新产业、新领域案件明显增多。
资料来源：最高人民法院 2023-03-30
新闻链接：https://www.court.gov.cn/zixun-xiangqing-394802.html
State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) Issues Four Supporting Regulations for the Anti-monopoly Law
Date: 25 March 2023
Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) issued four supporting regulations pursuant to the amended Anti-monopoly Law: the Regulation on Prohibiting Acts Abusing Administrative Powers to Exclude or Restrict Competition; the Regulation on Prohibiting Monopoly Agreements; the Regulation on Prohibiting Acts Abusing Dominant Market Positions; and the Regulation on the Review of Concentrations of Undertakings. The four Regulations will come into effect on 15 April 2023.
The Regulations focus on the following: (1) clarification of the relevant provisions of the Anti-monopoly Law, e.g. specifying the scope of the subject of competing business operators in horizontal monopoly agreements; (2) optimization of the regulatory enforcement procedures, e.g. setting up procedures for suspension, termination and case report filing in the investigation of monopoly agreements, and the abuse of dominant market positions; and (3) strengthening the legal liabilities of relevant subjects, e.g. clarifying the responsibilities and obligations of the notifiers of concentrations of undertakings, and their agents.
Source: The State Administration for Market Regulation
Link: http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2023-03/25/content_5748266.htm
市场监管总局发布四部反垄断法配套规章
发文日期：2023-03-25
近日，市场监管总局发布了四部反垄断法配套规章，分别是《制止滥用行政权力排除、限制竞争行为规定》《禁止垄断协议规定》《禁止滥用市场支配地位行为规定》和《经营者集中审查规定》，自2023年4月15日起施行。
配套规章对反垄断法的补充主要集中在以下方面：首先，细化了反垄断法的有关规定，如明确了横向垄断协议中“具有竞争关系的经营者”的主体范围等。其次，优化了监管执法程序，如设置了垄断协议和滥用市场支配地位行为查处中的中止调查、终止调查和案件报告备案程序等。其三，强化了有关主体的法律责任，如明确了经营者集中的申报人及其代理人的责任义务等。
资料来源：市场监督总局 2023-03-25
新闻链接：http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2023-03/25/content_5748266.htm
Bayer receives Compensation of 24.3 Million Yuan (approx. US$ 3.53 million) in Settlement of Patent Infringement Case relating to High-pressure Syringe Needles
Date: 11 March 2023
Recently, Bayer reached a settlement with a Shenzhen pharmaceutical and medical device company (the Company), in a patent infringement action in the Nanjing Intermediate People’s Court relating to Bayer’s high-pressure syringe needles. Bayer has received a settlement payment of 24.3 million yuan (approx. US$ 3.53 million) from the Company.
In 2016, Bayer had filed a patent infringement lawsuit against the Company in the Beijing Intellectual Property Court for infringement of the same patent. In that case the Court upheld Bayer’s claim and ordered the Company to pay 1 million yuan (approx. US$ 145,300) for economic loss and 320,000 yuan (approx. US$ 46,500) for reasonable expenses, the highest legally mandated compensation amount prior to the Patent Law being revised in 2020. The decision was upheld on appeal. After receiving the final judgment, however, the Company continued to sell the same infringing products in Nanjing, which prompted Bayer to commence patent infringement proceedings the Nanjing Intermediate People's Court. Under the Court's mediation process, the Company signed a settlement agreement with Bayer and agreed to pay compensation of 24.3 million yuan (approx. US$ 3.53 million), the highest compensation amount ever paid to a patentee in a patent dispute case in China's medical device field.
Source: IPRdaily
Link: http://www.iprdaily.cn/article_33611.html
拜耳就其高压注射器针筒专利侵权达成和解，获赔2430万
日期：2023-03-11
近日，拜耳公司与某深圳药械企业达成和解，涉及纠纷为拜耳公司高压注射器针筒在中国的专利纠纷。拜耳已收到了来自该药械企业支付的2430万元和解金。
据悉，2016年，拜耳公司就曾就同一专利向该药械企业提起专利侵权诉讼，最终法院判处该药械企业赔偿100万元经济损失及32万元合理支出，是2020年专利法修改前的最高法定赔偿额。然而，该药械企业在收到终审判决之后，明知其专利侵权的前提下，仍继续实施侵权行为。2019年7月，拜耳公司再次将该药械企业诉至南京市中级人民法院。在法庭的调解之下，该药械企业与拜耳公司签署了和解协议，赔付2430万元。该赔付是中国医疗器械领域专利纠纷案件中，权利人获得的最高赔付金额。
资料来源：IPRdaily中文网 2023-03-11