On 1 May 2014, the new PRC Trademark Law came into
effect. New provisions do not overhaul the system in place for the
protection of trademarks, on the other hand the impact on brand
owners could be considerable in specific areas.
We summarize some of the key changes with regards to:
- Procedures: more convenience in applications and shorter
lead-times
- Bad faith: more scope to counter trademark squatters
- Trademark enforcement: increase protection for bona-fide
trademark users, and increased damages once a court confirms the
infringement.
Procedures
- One application can cover more than one class. This may result
in additional convenience for new applications covering multiple
classes, but it remains unclear whether it will impact fees.
