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(Adopted at the 24th Session of the Standing Committee of the Fifth National
People's Congress on 23 August 1982, revised for the first time according to the
Decision on the Amendment of the Trademark Law of the People's Republic of China
adopted at the 30th Session of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National
People's Congress, on 22 February 1993, and revised for the second time
according to the Decision on the Amendment of the Trademark Law of the People's
Republic of China adopted at the 24th Session of the Standing Committee of the
Ninth National People's Congress on 27 October 2001.)
Chapter l General Provisions
Article 1 This Law is enacted for the purposes of improving the
administration of trademarks, protecting the exclusive right to use trademarks,
and of encouraging producers and operators to guarantee the quality of their
goods and services and maintaining the reputation of their trademarks, with a
view to protecting the interests of consumers, producers and operators and to
promoting the development of the socialist market economy.
Article 2 The Trademark Office of the administrative authority for industry
and commerce under the State Council shall be responsible for the registration
and administration of trademarks throughout the country.
The Trademark Review and Adjudication Board, established under the
administrative authority for industry and commerce under the State Council,
shall be responsible for handling matters of trademark disputes.
Article 3 Registered trademarks mean trademarks that have been approved and
registered by the Trademark Office, including trademarks, service marks,
collective marks and certification marks; the trademark registrants shall enjoy
the exclusive right to use the trademarks, and be protected by law.
Said collective marks mean sings which are registered in
the name of bodies, associations or other organizations to be used by the
members thereof in their commercial activities to indicate their membership of
the organizations. Said certification marks mean signs
which are controlled by organizations capable of supervising some goods or
services and used by entities or individual persons outside the organization for
their goods or services to certify the origin, material, mode of manufacture,
quality or other characteristics of the goods or services.
Regulations for the particular matters of registration
and administration of collective and certification marks shall be established by
the administrative authority for industry and commerce under the State Council.
Article 4 Any natural person, legal entity or other organization intending to
acquire the exclusive right to use a trademark for the goods produced,
manufactured, processed, selected or marketed by it or him, shall file an
application for the registration of the trademark with the Trademark Office. Any
natural person, legal entity or other organization intending to acquire the
exclusive right to use a service mark for the service provided by it or him,
shall file an application for the registration of the service mark with the
Trademark Office. The provisions set forth in this Law
concerning trademarks shall apply to service marks.
Article 5 Two or more natural persons, legal entities or other organizations
may jointly file an application for the registration for the same trademark with
the Trademark Office, and jointly enjoy and exercise the exclusive right to use
the trademark.
Article 6 As for any of such goods, as prescribed by the State, that must
bear a registered trademark, a trademark registration must be applied for. Where
no trademark registration has been granted, such goods cannot be marketed.
Article 7 Any user of a trademark shall be responsible for the quality of the
goods in respect of which the trademark is used. The administrative authorities
for industry and commerce at different levels shall, through the administration
of trademarks, stop any practice that deceives consumers.
Article 8 In respect of any visual sign capable of distinguishing the goods
or service of one natural person, legal entity or any other organization from
that of others, including any word, design, letters of an alphabet, numerals,
three-dimensional symbol, combinations of colours, and their combination, an
application may be filed for registration.
Article 9 Any trademark in respect of which an application for registration
is filed shall be so distinctive as to be distinguishable, and shall not
conflict with any prior right acquired by another person.
A trademark registrant has the right to use the words of "registered trademark"
or a symbol to indicate that his trademark is registered.
Article 10 The following signs shall not be used as trademarks:
(1) those identical with or similar to the State name, national flag, national
emblem, military flag, or decorations, of the People's Republic of China, with
names of the places where the Central and State organs are located, or with the
names and designs of landmark buildings; (2) those identical with or
similar to the State names, national flags, national emblems or military flags
of foreign countries, except that the foreign state government agrees otherwise
on the use; (3) those identical with or similar to the names, flags
or emblems or names, of international intergovernmental organizations, except
that the organizations agree otherwise on the use or that it is not easy for the
use to mislead the public; (4) those identical with or similar to
official signs and hallmarks, showing official control or warranty by them,
except that the use thereof is otherwise authorized; (5) those
identical with or simi1ar to the symbols, or names, of the Red Cross or the Red
Crescent; (6) those having the nature of discrimination against any
nationality; (7) those having the nature of exaggeration and fraud in
advertising goods; and (8) those detrimental to socialist morals or
customs, or having other unhealthy influences. The
geographical names as the administrative divisions at or above the county level
and the foreign geographical names well known to the public shall not be used as
trademarks, but such geographical terms as have otherwise meanings or are a part
of collective marks/or a certification marks shall be exclusive. Where a
trademark using any of the above-mentioned geographical names has been approved
and registered, it shall continue to be valid.
Article 11 The following signs shall not be registered as trademarks:
(1) those only comprising generic names, designs or models of the
goods in respect of which the trademarks are used; (2) those having
direct reference to the quality, main raw materials, function, use, weight,
quantity or other features of the goods in respect of which the trademarks are
used; and (3) those lacking distinctive features.
The signs under the preceding paragraphs may be
registered as trademarks where they have acquired the distinctive features
through use and become readily identifiable.
Article 12 Where an application is filed for registration of a
three-dimensional sign as a trademark, any shape derived from the goods itself,
required for obtaining the technical effect, or giving the goods substantive
value, shall not be registered.
Article 13 Where a trademark in respect of which the application for
registration is filed for use for identical or similar goods is a reproduction,
imitation or translation of another person's trademark not registered in China
and likely to cause confusion, it shall be rejected for registration and
prohibited from use. Where a trademark in respect of
which the application for registration is filed fdr use for non-identical or
dissimilar goods is a reproduction, imitation or translation of the well-known
mark of another person that has been registered in China, misleads the pub1ic
and is likely to create prejudice to the interests of the well-known mark
registrant, it shall be rejected for registration and prohibited from use.
Article 14 Account shall be taken of the fol1owing factors in establishment
of a well-known mark: (l) reputation of the mark to the relevant
public; (2) time for continued use of the mark; (3)
consecutive time, extent and geographical area of advertisement of the mark;
(4) records of protection of the mark as a well-known mark; and
(5) any other factors relevant to the reputation of the mark.
Article 15 Where any agent or representative registers, in its or his own
name, the trademark of a person for whom it or he acts as the agent or
representative without authorization therefrom, and the latter raises
opposition, the trademark shall be rejected for registration and prohibited from
use.
Article 16 Where a trademark contains a geographic indication of the goods in
respect of which the trademark is used, the goods is not from the region
indicated therein and it misleads the public, it shall be rejected for
registration and prohibited from use; however, any trademark that has been
registered in good faith shall remain valid. The
geographic indications mentioned in the preceding paragraph refer to the signs
that signify the place of origin of the goods in respect of which the signs are
used, their specific quality, reputation or other features as mainly decided by
the natural or cultural factors of the regions.
Article 17 Any foreign person or foreign enterprise intending to apply for
the registration of a trademark in China shall file an application in accordance
with any agreement concluded between the People's Republic of China and the
country to which the applicant belongs, or according to the international treaty
to which both countries are parties, or on the basis of the principles of
reciprocity.
Article 18 Any foreign person or foreign enterprise intending to apply for
the registration of a trademark or for any other matters conceming a trademark
in China sha1l appoint any of such organizations as designated by the State to
act as its or his agent.
Chapter II AppIication for Trademark Registration
Article 19 An applicant for the registration of a trademark shall, in a form,
indicate, in accordance with the prescribed classification of goods, the class
of the goods and the designation of the goods in respect of which the trademark
is to be used.
Article 20 Where any applicant for registration of a trademark intends to use
the same trademark for goods in different classes, an application for
registration shall be filed in respect of each class of the prescribed
classification of goods.
Article 21 Where a registered trademark is to be used in respect of other
goods of the same class, a new application for registration shall be filed.
Article 22 Where the sign of a registered trademark is to be altered, a new
registration shall be applied for.
Article 23 Where, after the registration of a trademark, the name, address or
other registered matters concerning the registrant change, an application
regarding the change shall be filed.
Article 24 Any aPp1icant for the registration of a trademark who files an
application for registration of the same trademark for identica1 goods in China
within six months from the date of filing the first application for the
trademark registration overseas may enjoy the right of priority in accordance
with any agreement concluded between the People's Republic of China and the
country to which the applicant belongs, or according to the international treaty
to which both countries are parties, or on the basis of the principle whereby
each acknowledges the right of priority of the other.
Anyone claiming the right of priority according to the preceding paragraph shall
make a statement in writing when it or he files the application for the
trademark registration, and submit, within three months, a copy of the
application documents it or he first filed for the registration of the
trademark; where the applicant fails to make the claim in writing or submit the
copy of the application documents within the time limit, the claim shall be
deemed not to have been made for the right of priority.
Article 25 Where a trademark is first used for goods in an international
exhibition on sponsored or recognized by me Chinese Government, the applicant
for the registration of the trademark may enjoy the right of priority within six
months from the date of exhibition of the goods. Anyone
claiming the right of priority according to the preceding paragraph shall make a
claim in writing when it or he files the application for the registration of the
trademark, and submit, within three months, documents showing the title of the
exhibition in which its or his goods was displayed, proof that the trademark was
used for the goods exhibited, and the date of exhibition; where the claim is not
made in writing, or the proof documents not submitted within the time limit, the
claim shall be deemed not to have been made for the right of priority.
Article 26 The matters reported and materials submitted in the application
for trademark registration shall be true, accurate and complete.
Chapter lII Examination for and ApprovaI of Trademark Registration
Article 27 Where a trademark the registration of which has been applied for
is in conformity with the relevant provisions of this Law, the Trademark Office
shall, after examination, preliminarily approve the trademark and publish it.
Article 28 Where a trademark the registration of which has been applied for
is not in conformity with the relevant provisions of this Law, or it is
identical with or similar to the trademark of another person that has, in
respect of the same or similar goods, been registered or, after examination,
preliminarily approved, the Trademark Office shall refuse the application and
shall not publish the said trademark.
Article 29 Where two or more applicants apply for the registration of
identical or similar trademarks for the same or similar goods, the preliminary
aPproval, after examination, and the publication shall be made for the trademark
which was first filed. Where applications are filed on the same day, the
preliminary approval, after examination, and the publication shall be made for
the trademark which was the earliest used, and the applications of the others
shall be refused and their trademarks shall not be published.
Article 30 Any person may, within three months from the date of the
publication, file an opposition against the trademark that has, after
examination, been preliminarily approved. If no opposition has been filed after
the expiration of the time limit from the publication, the registration shall be
approved, a certificate of trademark registration shall be issued and the
trademark shall be published.
Article 31 An application for the registration of a trademark shall not
create any prejudice to the prior right of another person, nor unfair means be
used to pre-emptively register the trademark of some reputation another person
has used.
Article 32 Where the application for registration of a trademark is refused
and no publication of the trademark is made, the Trademark Office shall notify
the applicant of the same in writing. Where the applicant is dissatisfied, he
may, within fifteen days from receipt of the notice, file an application with
the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board for a review. The Trademark Review
and Adjudication Board shall make a decision and notify 'the applicant in
writing. Any interested party who is not satisfied with
the decision made by the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board may, within
thirty days from receipt of the notice, institute legal proceedings in the
People's Court.
Article 33 Where an opposition is filed against the trademark that has, after
examination, been preliminarily approved and published, the Trademark Office
shall hear both the opponent and applicant state facts and grounds, and shall,
after investigation and verification, make a decision. Where any party is
dissatisfied, it or he may within fifteen days from receipt of the notification,
apply for a reexamination, and the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board shall
make a decision and notify both the opponent and applicant in writing.
Any interested party who is not satisfied with the
decision made by the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board within thirty days
from the date of receipt of the notice, may institute legal proceedings in the
People's Court. The People's Court shall notify the other party to the trademark
reexamination proceeding to be a third party to the litigation.
Article 34 Where the interested party does not, within the statutory time
limit, apply for the reexamination of the adjudication by the Trademark Office
or does not institute legal proceedings in respect of the adjudication by the
Trademark Review and Adjudication Board, the adjudication takes effect.
Where the opposition cannot be established upon ad
judication, the registration shall be approved, a certificate of trademark
registration shall be issued and the trademark shall be published; where the
opposition is established upon adjudication, the registration shall not be
approved. Where the opposition cannot be established upon
ad judication, but the registration is approved, the time of the exclusive right
the trademark registration applicant has obtained to use the trademark is
counted from the date on which the three months expires from the publication of
the preliminary examination.
Article 35 Any application for trademark registration and trademark
reexamination shall be examined in due course.
Article 36 Where any trademark registration applicant or registrant finds any
obvious errors in the trademark registration documents or application documents,
it or he may apply for correction thereof The Trademark Office shall ex officio
make the correction according to law and notify the interested party of the
correction. The error correction mentioned in the
preceding paragraph shall not relate to the substance of the trademark
registration documents or application documents.
Chapter IV Renewal, Assignment and Licensing of Registered Trademarks
Article 37 The period of validity of a registered trademark shall be ten
years, counted from the date of approval of the registration.
Article 38 Where the registrant intends to continue to use the registered
trademark beyond the expiration of the period of validity, an application for
renewal of the registration shall be made within six months before the said
expiration. Where no application therefore has been filed within the said
period, a grace period of six months may be allowed. If no application has been
filed at the expiration the grace period, the registered trademark shall be
cancelled. The period of validity of each renewal of
registration shaIl be ten years. Any renewa1 of
registration shall be published after it as been approved.
Article 39 Where a registered trademark is assigned, the assignor and
assignee shall conclude a contract for the assignment, and jointly file an
application with the trademark Office. The assignee shall guarantee the quality
of the goods in respect of which the registered trademark is used.
The assignment of a registered trademark shall be
published after it has been approved, and the assignee enjoys the exclusive
right to use the trademark from the date of publication.
Article 40 Any trademark registrant may, by signing a trademark license
contract, authorize other persons to use his registered trademark. The licensor
shall supervise the quality of the goods in respect of which the licensee uses
his registered trademark, and the licensee shall guarantee the quality of the
goods in respect of which the registered Trademark is used.
Where any party is authorized to use a registered
trademark of another person, the name of the licensee and the origin of the
goods must be indicated on the goods that bear the registered trademark.
The trademark license contract shall be submitted to the
Trademark Office for record.
Chapter V Adjudication of Disputes Concerning Registered Trademarks
Article 41 Where a registered trademark stands in violation of the provisions
of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of this Law, or the registration of a trademark was
acquired by fraud or any other unfair means, the Trademark Office shall cancel
the registered trademark in question; and any other organization or individual
may request the Trademark Review and Ad judication Board to make an adjudication
to cancel such a registered trademark. Where a registered
trademark stands in violation of the provisions of Articles l3, l5, l6 and 3l of
this Law, any other trademark owner concerned or interested party may, within
five years from the date of the registration of the trademark, file a request
with the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board for adjudication to cancel the
registered trademark. Where a well-known mark is registered in bad faith, the
genuine owner thereof shall not be restricted by the five-year limitation.
In addition to those cases as provided for in the
preceding two paragraphs, any person disputing a registered trademark may,
within five years from the date of approval of the trademark registration, apply
to the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board for adjudication.
The Trademark Review and Adjudication Board shall, after
receipt of the application for adjudication, notify the interested parties and
request them to respond with arguments within a specified period.
Article 42 Where a trademark, before its being approved for registration, has
been the object of opposition and decision, no application for adjudication may
be filed based on the same facts and grounds.
Article 43 After the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board has made an
adjudication either to maintain or to cancel a registered trademark, it shall
notify the interested parties of the same in writing. Any interested
party who is dissatisfied with the adjudication made by the Trademark Review and
Adjudication Board may, within thirty days from the date of receipt of the
notice, institute legal proceedings in the People's Court. The People's Court
shall notify the other party of the trademark adjudication proceeding to be a
third party to the legal proceedings.
Chapter Vl Administration of the Use of Trademarks
Article 44 Where any person who uses a registered trademark has committed any
of the following, the Trademark Office shall order him to rectify the situation
within a specified period or even cancel the registered trademark:
(1) where a registered trademark is altered unilaterally (that is, without the
required registration); (2) where the name, address or other
registered matters concerning the registrant of a registered trademark are
changed unilaterally (that is, without the required application );
(3) where the registered trademark is assigned unilaterally (that is, without
the required approval); or (4) where the use of the registered
trademark has ceased for three consecutive years.
Article 45 Where a registered trademark is used in respect of the goods that
have been roughly or poorly manufactured, or whose superior quality has been
replaced by inferior quality, so that consumers are deceived, the administrative
authorities for industry and commerce at different levels shall, according to
the circumstances, order rectification of the situation within a specified
period, and may, in addition, circulate a notice of criticism or impose a fine,
and the Trademark Office may even cancel the registered trademark.
Article 46 Where a registered trademark has been cancelled or has not been
renewed at the expiration, the Trademark Office shall, during one year from the
date of the cancellation or removal thereof, approve no application for the
registration of a trademark that is identical with or similar to the said
trademark.
Article 47 Where any person violates the provisions of Article 6 of this Law,
the local administrative authority for industry and commerce shall order him to
file an application for the registration within a specified period, and may, in
addition, impose a fine.
Article 48 Where any person who uses an unregistered trademark has committed
any of the following, the local administrative authority for industry and
commerce shall stop the use of the trademark, order him to rectify the situation
within a specified period, and may, in addition, circulate a notice of criticism
or impose a fine: (1) where the trademark is falsely represented as
registered; (2) where any provision of Article 10 of this Law is
violated; or (3) where the manufacture is of rough or poor quality,
or where superior quality is replaced by inferior quality, so that consumers are
deceived.
Article 49 Any party dissatisfied with the decision of the Trademark Office
to cancel a registered trademark may, within fifteen days from receipt of the
corresponding notice, apply for a review. The Trademark Review and Adjudication
Board shall make a decision and notify the applicant in writing.
Any interested party dissatisfied with the decision by
the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board may, within thirty days from the
date of receipt of the notice, institute legal proceedings in the People's
Court.
Article 50 Any party dissatisfied with the decision of the administrative
authority for industry and commerce to impose a fine under the provisions of
Article 45, Article 47 or Article 48 may, within fifteen days from receipt of
the corresponding notice, institute legal proceedings with the People's Court.
If there have been instituted no legal proceedings or made no performance of the
decision at the expiration of the said period, the administrative authority for
industry and commerce may request the People's Court for compulsory execution
thereof.
Chapter VII Protection of the Exclusive Rights to Use Registered Trademarks
Article 51 The exclusive right to use a registered trademark is limited to
the trademark which has been approved for registration and to the goods in
respect of which the use of the trademark has been approved.
Article 52 Any of the following acts shall be an infringement of the
exclusive right to use a registered trademark: (1) to use a trademark
that is identical with or similar to a registered trademark in respect of the
identical or similar goods without the authorization from the trademark
registrant; (2) to sell goods that he knows bear a counterfeited
registered trademark; (3) to counterfeit, or to make, without
authorization, representations of a registered trademark of another person, or
to sell such representations of a registered trademark as were counterfeited, or
made without authorization; (4) to replace, without the consent of
the trademark registrant, its or his registered trademark and market again the
goods bearing the replaced trademark; or (5) to cause, in other
respects, prejudice to the exclusive right of another person to use a registered
trademark.
Article 53 Where any party has committed any of such acts to infringe the
exclusive right to use a registered trademark as provided for in Article 52 of
this Law and has caused a dispute, the interested parties shall resolve the
dispute through consultation; where they are reluctant to resolve the matter
through consultation or the consultation fails, the trademark registrant or
interested party may institute legal proceedings in the People's Court or
request the administrative authority for industry and commerce for actions.
Where it is established that the infringing act is constituted in its handling
the matter, the administrative authority for industry and commerce handling the
matter shall order the infringer to immediately stop the infringing act,
confiscate and destroy the infringing goods and tools specially used for the
manufacture of the infringing goods and for counterfeiting the representations
of the registered trademark, and impose a fine. Where any interested party is
dissatisfied with decision on handling the matter, it or he may, within fifteen
days from the date of receipt of the notice, institute legal proceedings in the
People's Court according to the Administrative Procedure Law of the People's
Republic of China. If there have been instituted no legal proceedings or made on
performance of the decision at the expiration of the said period, the
administrative authority for industry and commerce shall request the People's
Court for compulsory execution thereof. The administrative authority for
industry and commerce handling the matter may, upon the request of the
interested party, medicate on the amount of compensation for the infringement of
the exclusive right to use the trademark; where the medication fails, the
interested party may institute legal proceedings in the People's Court according
to the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China.
Article 54 The administrative authority for industry and commerce has the
power to investigate and handle any act of infringement of the exclusive right
to use a registered trademark according to law; where the case is so serious as
to constitute a crime, it shall be transferred to the judicial authority for
handling.
Article 55 When investigating and handling an act suspected of infringement
of a registered trademark, the administrative authority for industry and
commerce at or above the county level may, according to the obtained evidence of
the suspected violation of law or informed offence, exercise the following
functions and authorities: (1 ) to inquire of the interested parties
involved, and to investigate the relevant events of the infringement of the
exclusive right to use the trademark; (2) to read and make copy of
the contract, receipts, account books and other relevant materials of the
interested parties relating to the infringement; (3) to inspect the
site where the interested party committed the alleged infringement of the
exclusive right to use the trademark; and (4) to inspect any articles
relevant to the infringement; any articles that prove to have been used for the
infringement of another person's exclusive right to use the trademark may be
sealed up or seized. When the administrative authority
for industry and commerce exercises the preceding functions and authorities, the
interested party shall cooperate and help, and shall not refuse to do so or
stand in the way.
Article 56 The amount of damages shall be the profit that the infringer has
earned because of the infringement in the period of the infringement or the
injury that the infringee has suffered from the infringement in the period of
the infringement, including the appropriate expenses of the infringee for
stopping the infringement. Where it is difficult to
determine the profit that the infringer has earned because of the infringement
in the period of the infringement or the injury that the infringee has suffered
from the infringement in the period of the infringement, the People's Court
shall impose an amount of damages of no more than RMB 500, 000 yuan according to
the circumstances of the infringement. Anyone who sells a
goods that it or he does not know has infringed the exclusive right to use a
registered trademark, and is able to prove that it or he has obtained the goods
legitimately and indicates the supplier thereof shall not bear the liability for
damages.
Article 57 Where a trademark registrant or interested party who has evidence
to show that another person is committing or will commit an infringement of the
right to use its or his registered trademark, and that failure to promptly stop
the infringement will cause irreparable damages to its or his legitimate rights
and interests, it or he may file an application with the People's Court to order
cessation of the relevant act and to take measures for property preservation
before instituting legal proceedings in the People's Court.
The People's Court handling the application under the
preceding paragraph shall apply the provisions of Articles 93 to 96 and 99 of
the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China.
Article 58 In order to stop an infringing act, any trademark registrant or
interested party may file an application with the People's Court for
preservation of the evidence before instituting legal proceedings in the
People's Court where the evidence will possibly be destroyed or lost or
difficult to be obtained again in the future. The People's Court must make
adjudication within forty-eight hours after receipt of the application; where it
is decided to take the preservative measures, the measures shall be executed
immediately. The People's Court may order the applicant to place guaranty; where
the applicant fails to place the guaranty, the application shall be rejected.
Where the applicant institutes no legal proceedings
within fifteen days after the People's Court takes the preservative measures,
the People's Court shall release the measures taken for the preservation.
Article 59 Where any party uses, without the authorization from the trademark
registrant, a trademark identical with a registered trademark, and the case is
so serious as to constitute a crime, he shall be prosecuted, according to law,
for his criminal liabilities in addition to his compensation for the damages
suffered by the infringee. Where any party counterfeits,
or makes, without authorization, representations of a registered trademark of
another person, or sells such representations of a registered trademark as were
counterfeited, or made without authorization, and the case is so serious as to
constitute a crime, he shall be prosecuted, according to law, for his criminal
liabilities in addition to his compensation for the damages suffered by the
infringee. Where any party sells goods that he knows bear
a counterfeited registered trademark, and the case is so serious as to
constitute a crime, he shall be prosecuted, according to law, for his criminal
liabilities in addition to his compensation for the damages suffered by the
infringee.
Article 60 The State functionaries for the registration, administration and
reexamination of trademarks must handle cases according to law, be incorruptible
and disciplined, devoted to their duties and courteous and honest in their
provision of service. The State functionaries of the
Trademark Office and the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board and those
working for the registration, administration and reexamination of trademarks
shall not practice as trademark agent and engage in any activity to manufacture
and market goods.
Article 61 The administrative authority for industry and commerce shall
establish and amplify its internal supervision system to supervise and inspect
the State functionaries for the registration, administration and reexamination
of trademarks in their implementation of the laws and administrative regulations
and in their observation of the discipline.
Article 62 Where any State functionary for the registration, administration
and reexamination of trademarks neglects his duty, abuses his power, engages in
malpractice for personal gain, handles the registration, administration and
reexamination of trademarks in violation of law, accepts money or material
wealth from any interested party or seeks illicit interest, which constitutes a
crime, he or she shall be prosecuted for his or her criminal liabi1ity. If the
case is not serious enough to constitute a crime, he or she shall be given
disciplinary sanction according to law.
Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions
Article 63 Any application for a trademark registration and for other matters
concerning a trademark shall be subject to payment of the fees as prescribed.
The schedule of fees shall be prescribed separately.
ArticIe 64 This Law shall enter into force on March l, l983. The "Regulations
Governing Trademarks" promulgated by the State Council on April l0, l963 shall
be abrogated on the same date, and any other provisions concerning trademarks
contrary to this Law shall cease to be effective at the same time.
Trademarks registered before this Law enters into force shall continue to be
valid. |