On 21 Apr. 2022, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SMAR) released twenty typical cases involving IPR law enforcement.
These cases involve trademark infringement, patent counterfeiting, disturbing the order of trademark agency market by improper means, bad-faith applications for trademark registration, conducting patent agency business without licenses and other illegal acts.
Among them, two cases involve the protection of exclusive rights to Olympic symbols.
In these two cases, Nanjing Jianbo Protective Equipment Co., Ltd. sold masks with Olympic symbols without authorization, and Chongqing Fuling Zhacai Group Co., Ltd. published pictures containing the “Tokyo Olympics” on its social media platforms and websites without the authorization of the right holder of the Olympic symbols.
China’s law enforcement authorities believed that the aforementioned acts had infringed the exclusive rights of Olympic symbols, and the parties involved shall be imposed corresponding administrative penalties.
According to the “Regulations on the Protection of Olympic Symbols”, the five Olympic rings, Olympic flag, Olympic motto, Olympic emblem, Olympic anthem of the International Olympic Committee and exclusive expressions such as Olympic, Olympia, and Olympic Games and the abbreviations thereof are all Olympic symbols and are protected by law. No one may use Olympic symbols for commercial purposes without the authorization of the right holders of the Olympic symbols.
Cover Photo by Yingchih on Unsplash
Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team
