The Three-year Plan for the Reform of Trademark Registration Facilitation (2018-2020) was promulgated on 20 Mar. 2018.
The Plan puts forward seven tasks, which aim to increase the channels for trademark application, simplify the trademark registration procedures, and shorten the examination period of trademark registration.
The key points are as follows:
The examination period of trademark registration (including the international registration examination) is shortened to less than four months.
Seven to eight trademark examination and cooperation centers will be established nationwide to form a cooperation among the Trademark Bureau, the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board and various trademark examination and cooperation centers.
The internal work procedures of the Trademark Bureau will be streamlined.
The cost for trademark application will be reduced.
The whole process of trademark registration will be electronic, and the trademark database will be publicly available.
The paper-based trademark files of the Trademark Bureau will be reduced.
The Trademark Law will be amended, and the Measures for the Supervision of Trademark Agency and the Measures for the Registration and Administration of Collective and Certification Trademarks will be formulated.