Last year FBI started criminal prosecutions against a former Apple employee who stole the secret technology for self-driving cars. Now, Tesla is suing out of same reasons a former employee of their Autopilot team. What is the connection between the two defendants? Mr. Zhang and Mr. Cao are not only countrymen but were also switching… Continue reading E-Car Start Up XPeng: New Trade Secrets Theft Accusations
Category: ACF
Small Packages and Complex Routes
Every year, the OECD’s Illicit Trade series study records the current situation of global illegal trade. According to the study, the EU is particularly affected by international trade in counterfeit and pirated products, with around a quarter of all fakes flowing into the European Community in 2016. The counterfeit goods had a value of EUR… Continue reading Small Packages and Complex Routes
Can Single-Color Trademarks Be Protected in China?
The French designer Christian Louboutin has become world-famous for his iconic shoe design – sky-high heels and red shoe soles. The trademark for the red sole was registered in the Benelux in 2010 and the explicit registration for high-heeled shoes followed in 2013. A few years ago Louboutin went to court against the Dutch subsidiary… Continue reading Can Single-Color Trademarks Be Protected in China?
Trademark Examination: Is Faster Always Better?
The main issues discussed at the 2019 National People’s Congress were the relationship between the US and China, the New Silk Road, the defense budget and the new draft of the Foreign Investment Law. Improvements in IP protection were also discussed. For example, the already agreed shortening of the examination period for trademark applications from… Continue reading Trademark Examination: Is Faster Always Better?
Food Counterfeiting in China
In Beijing, a three-month major action against food counterfeiters has just ended. The project, initiated jointly by several Beijing authorities, revealed more than 85 hidden workshops and 68 cases of counterfeit food products. Food counterfeit has been a problem in China for many years, a problem which is difficult to control. The consumers are the… Continue reading Food Counterfeiting in China
Great Wall of Consequences
China once again tightens the measures against IP rights infringers and strengthens own control over companies and managers. 38 Chinese state-level authorities signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on December 5, 2018. Central message of the document is that authorities – including the National Intellectual Property Administration and the Supreme People’s Court – are working… Continue reading Great Wall of Consequences
China Enables Blockchain Evidence
When it comes to the use of digital technology, China is clearly a pioneer and a global champion in today’s international court practice. Famous examples are the country‘s recently introduced cyber courts (link to article) and its new Cyber Security Law (link to article). However, it is still relatively unknown that China is also the… Continue reading China Enables Blockchain Evidence
Cybersecurity Law: Company Inspections by the Chinese Police
With a new regulation on the Cybersecurity Law enforcement, China enables the state police, Public Security Bureaus (PSB), to inspect companies in regard to their cybersecurity compliance. The regulation comes into force on November 1, 2018 and aims at Internet providers and “network using companies”. The definition of network using companies however is extremely vague… Continue reading Cybersecurity Law: Company Inspections by the Chinese Police
China and EU: First Steps in Harmonization of IP Protection
The new China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and the European Patent Office (EPO) set plans for their future cooperation in Munich on September 21, 2018. It was the first meeting of CNIPA and EPO since the Chinese trademark and patent administration merged into a single administration in August (link to the article). CNIPA is,… Continue reading China and EU: First Steps in Harmonization of IP Protection
Internet Plus: SIPO‘s Plan for IP Protection in the Digital Era
China’s Patent Office has issued a plan for using the ever growing volumes of available data and intelligent algorithms for IP protection. SIPO aims at building a centralized smart system for recognition of infringements till 2020. The system is expected to support the persecution of piracy and counterfeiting by means of online fake identification, permanent… Continue reading Internet Plus: SIPO‘s Plan for IP Protection in the Digital Era
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