Editor’s Note: Intellectual Property Highlights and Strategies for Innovation

Welcome to the MeritsIP Newsletter. We delve into critical updates in the intellectual property landscape, providing insights and strategies to help you navigate the ever-evolving world of patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Read on to stay informed and ahead in the game of innovation.

Yunnan Intellectual Property Office Actively Implements Provincial Party Committee and Government’s Work Plan to Boost Business Environment with IP Drive

The Communist Party of China Yunnan Provincial Committee and the Yunnan Provincial People’s Government issued the “Three – year Action Plan for Yunnan Province to Build a First – class Business Environment and Promote the Quality and Efficiency Improvement of Business Entities (2025 – 2027, Version 2.0)”, which makes clear arrangements for intellectual property work.

In recent years, the Yunnan Intellectual Property Office has followed a three – step work approach, strengthened the connection between administrative and judicial work, deepened the mediation mechanism, and advanced the construction of the Kunming Sub – center of the National Overseas Intellectual Property Dispute Response and Guidance Center.

In the future, the office will take the implementation of the Action Plan as an opportunity, strengthen coordinated IP protection, optimize the dispute resolution mechanism, and improve the guidance for overseas disputes, providing stronger IP support for Yunnan’s business environment.

Tianjin’s Full – Chain Intellectual Property Protection Services Support the 22nd China International Agricultural Products Fair

The 22nd China International Agricultural Products Fair was held in Tianjin. The Tianjin Intellectual Property Office organized a “1 + 1” team to offer over 500 times of professional support in IP publicity, protection, and rights – protection for exhibitors. On – site staff set up a service workstation, providing services like policy publicity and dispute mediation. They responded to international exhibitors’ concerns and customized a service model for domestic ones. A rapid response mechanism was established. For “Jinnongjingpin” enterprises, they promoted cooperation and detected infringements. Multilingual services and risk warnings were provided for cross – border protection. In the future, Tianjin will use IP to boost modern agriculture and the exhibition economy, offering guidance, consultations, and promoting new applications while strengthening cooperation with agricultural departments.

Suji Deepens Collaborative Assistance to Promote High – quality Development of the Regional Intellectual Property Service Industry

Recently, the Intellectual Property Offices of Jiangsu and Jilin Provinces held a special docking activity on regional cooperation and assistance in the intellectual property service industry in Changchun. Aligned with national deployment, they reached five consensuses on core cooperation: improving the joint training mechanism for agents, promoting cross – regional resource cooperation and sharing, deepening collaboration in patent transformation and utilization, strengthening service industry supervision linkage, and accelerating the co – construction of public service standards. This activity will foster complementary advantages and coordinated development of the two regions’ intellectual property service industries, driving high – quality development of the regional intellectual property cause.

“Guidelines for Intellectual Property Compliance of Small and Medium – Sized Enterprises in Zhejiang Province” Issued

Recently, the Zhejiang Intellectual Property Office and the Zhejiang Copyright Bureau jointly issued the “Guidelines for Intellectual Property Compliance of Small and Medium – Sized Enterprises in Zhejiang Province”. The aim is to enhance local SMEs’ awareness of intellectual property compliance and risk prevention, and strengthen the intellectual property protection for innovation and development. The “Guidelines” regulate from two aspects: basic intellectual property compliance, covering trademarks, patents, etc., clarifying enterprises’ prohibited behaviors and obligations; and intellectual property compliance in key areas, focusing on e – commerce platforms, etc., and providing targeted compliance operation points and risk response suggestions.

2025 National Patent Pre – examination Business Training Course Held in Beijing

Recently, the 2025 National Patent Pre – examination Business Training Course, hosted by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and co – organized by relevant centers, was held in Beijing. Representatives from 81 intellectual property protection centers and 48 rapid rights – protection centers nationwide participated.

At the training, the CNIPA summarized the national patent pre – examination business and set out next – step requirements. Typical cases from 15 centers were released, showing the role of patent pre – examination in serving national strategies, regional development, business environment optimization, and overseas patent layout. Some centers shared management experience. Topics like pre – examination quality, on – demand examination, and “Patent Examination Guidelines” revision were covered.

In the future, Beijing will implement CNIPA’s requirements, improve the pre – examination system, focus on quality, boost efficiency, and serve strategic scientific and technological forces at national and municipal levels.

Shandong Jinan Trademark Examination Cooperation Center Conducts Trademark Work Research in Dezhou

To promote the 4th “Individual Business Service Month” activity, the Jinan Trademark Examination Cooperation Center recently conducted on – site inspections in Dezhou. They inspected the “Wucheng HVAC Industry Cluster” to set up a trademark brand guidance station, carried out research at the Trademark Business Dezhou Acceptance Window and relevant enterprises, and launched the “Trademark Empowerment: Entering Parks to Benefit Enterprises” activity.

The Wucheng HVAC Industry Cluster is Dezhou’s only national – level characteristic industry cluster, with over 3,000 manufacturers, 30,000 employees, 3,500 product varieties, and an annual output value of nearly 30 billion yuan, accounting for 60% of the national market share. A preliminary consensus on establishing a guidance station was reached.

The center also provided “trademark health checks” in companies, gave professional advice, and answered questions. It exchanged with local authorities on maximizing the role of the “Leling Condiment Industry Cluster” guidance station. Moreover, it investigated the Dezhou Acceptance Window and proposed suggestions for improving public service efficiency.

New Candidate Support Programme builds stronger patent profession across Europe

On October 31, 2025, the European Patent Office (EPO) launched the new Candidate Support Programme (CSP) at its Munich headquarters. The CSP provides financial aid, coaching, and training to selected European Qualifying Examination (EQE) candidates. 45 candidates from 21 member states attended the event, and the EPO highlighted it as a key part of its 2028 Strategic Plan. With 82% of participants being women, the programme promotes gender balance in the patent field and enhances the European patent system’s quality by cultivating diverse EQE – qualified practitioners.

The new CSP cycle will focus on gender and quality, and from 2026, it will support candidates for the European Patent Administration Certification (EPAC). The event showed strong EPO – epi cooperation, with experienced epi members as coaches and current beneficiaries supporting future candidates. The fully digital programme, in cooperation with national patent offices, offers flexibility and accessibility to candidates across member states.

Final major MyEPO release of 2025

The European Patent Office (EPO) announced the final major release of MyEPO services in 2025. Developed with 194 pilot users, it aims to enhance the efficiency, user – friendliness, and accessibility of the digital patent – granting process according to the Strategic Plan 2028. Over 10,000 patent attorneys and representatives use MyEPO. Improvements include a redesigned MyEPO homepage, a new bibliographic data panel, acceptance of colour filings, better association management, new bulk maintenance options, and stronger two – factor authentication methods.

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