Patent Examination Website Publicly Launched

Two patent-related developments occurred on June 7, 2017. First, SIPO issued a task division and work schedule plan (任务分工和工作进度方案) to support the Opinions on Strict Protection of Patents. The Opinions on Strict Protection of Patents were issued on November 29, 2016.
 
The Plan includes 25 tasks along with goals to be accomplished in 2017, within the period of 2018-2020, and/or on a yearly basis. Each task also has a relevant responsible stakeholder listed. The Opinions on Strict Protection of Patents set the following goals by 2020: a basic policy and legal foundation, including work mechanisms, for strict patent protection; improvement in patent enforcement, efficiency, and proficiency; effective operations of patent protection coordination mechanisms; a well-operating linkage mechanism between patent licensing, verification, and protection; a rapid cooperation protection mechanism; and an interactive relationship between patent protection and invention quality with patent quality.

Secondly, SIPO announced the public launch of a patent case information subscription service offered in cooperation with the European Patent Office (EPO). Those interested can register on the China and Global Patent Examination Information Inquiry website. Once users sign up for the subscription service they can access updated case information from the Chinese and European PTO according to their patent number, and are also able to search updated lists and records.