The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) recently released its Rules On Suspension of CNIPA Trademark Proceedings and related explanations. The Suspension Rules are intended to provide clear guidance on the circumstances under which a CNIPA trademark proceeding shall be or may be suspended. For companies that have difficulty registering their brands due to prior rights no longer in use, or fraudulently filed, this may be welcome news.
The Suspension Rules concern the four types of CNIPA trademark proceedings, namely: 1)the review of a rejection of a trademark application; 2) the review of an opposition decision refusing the registration of the opposed mark; 3) the invalidation of a trademark registration ; 4) the review of a cancellation decision regarding a trademark registration. Read more