EU-China Project on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in China (IPR2)

Introduction

The EU-China Project on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR2) was launched in 2007 by the European Commission and the Government of the People's Republic of China. With EUR 16.275 million in joint funding over four years (EUR 10.85m from the EU and EUR 5.425m from China), IPR2 reflects the EU and China's long-term commitment to developing a sustainable environment for effective IPR enforcement in China.

Within this project, the EPO was selected as the implementing organisation responsible for providing technical assistance.

Background

IPR2 is the successor to the IPR1 project, which ran between 1999 and 2004 and provided support for China's legislative, judicial and administrative reforms. The EPO was the implementing organisation for this project too.

Objectives/strategy

The aim of IPR2 is to improve the effectiveness of IPR enforcement in China. Building on the success of IPR1, its focus is on reinforcing the reliability, efficiency and accessibility of the IP protection system in China. This is done by means of close co-operation with the Chinese authorities in the legislative, judicial, administrative and enforcement fields and providing them with technical support.

Activities

More than 50 different activities (training courses, seminars, workshops, symposia, study tours and studies) have been implemented since the start of IPR2 and many more are in the pipeline. IPR2 activities centre on

improving the Chinese legal framework of IPR laws and regulations relating to all aspects of criminal, patent, trade mark and copyright laws, geographical indications, and civil and administrative procedures.
training staff in institutions involved in IPR in China and contributing to a better understanding of Chinese IP law in Europe.
facilitating better access to information for users and government officials at all levels to enable and encourage more efficient IP enforcement.
supporting China's efforts to strengthen its civil, criminal and administrative enforcement capacity.
reinforcing support to rights holders in China and Europe to enable them to make best use of the Chinese IP system.

Partners

IPR2 is a partnership project between the European Union and the People's Republic of China. The European implementing organisation (the EPO) and the Chinese implementing organisation (the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Commerce of China) have offices in Beijing. The EPO is supported in specific areas by experts from its member states and from the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM), which is responsible for registering the European Community's trade marks and designs.

IPR2 works with the following Chinese authorities and institutions to promote IP protection in China:

Ministry of Commerce
State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC)
Chinese Trademark Office (CTMO)
Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (TRAB)
Ministry of Public Security (MPS)
Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIIT)
General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ)
General Administration of Customs (GACC)
National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC)
Legislative Affairs Commission (LAC) of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC)
State Council Legislative Affairs Office (LAO)
Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress (NPC)
State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO)
Supreme People's Court (SPC)
Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP)
Representatives from industry and academia

More information

For more information vist the IPR2 project website at www.ipr2.org.