Background

The protection of IPR is a priority for China and Europe. In the highest political dialogue and at working level both sides emphasise the importance of international co-operation in this area. IPR2 actions this commitment.

 The Project's Key Facts, Areas of Activity and Management Structure are summarised below.

Key Facts

• 4 years duration (2007-2011).
• Based on a Financing Agreement between the European Commission and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China for EUR 16.275 million, signed on 17 January 2007.
• Provision of expertise is managed by the European Patent Office in Munich, with a Technical Assistance Team based in Beijing.
• Reflects the EU’s long-term commitment to supporting the development of intellectual property rights in China.
• Activities focus on the effectiveness of enforcement of IPR in China.
• Builds on the success of IPR1, which had activities in Beijing and provinces in China from 1999-2004. This first project aimed to promote internationally accepted standards of IPR protection through effective legislation, administration and enforcement of IPR.

Areas of Activity

• Improving Chinese legal framework of IPR laws and regulations on all aspects of Criminal law, Patent law, Trademark law, Copyright law, Geographic Indications, Civil and Administrative procedures.
• Capacity building to build human capital in the IP sector in China.
• Access to information to enable and encourage more efficient IP enforcement through better access to information at all levels.
• Legal procedures to promote and support China's efforts to build up efficient internal, inter-agency, inter-regional and inter-jurisdictional systems and procedures for IP enforcement.
• Support to right-holders to enable those in China to use the Chinese IP systems.

See Activities & Results.

Management structure

• Executing authority is the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM)
• Chinese Implementing Agency is the Department of Treaty and Law, MOFCOM
• European Implementing Agency is the European Patent Office (EPO). The European Office of Harmonisation of the Internal Market (OHIM) specifically supports trademark and design-related parts of the project. The National Offices (Member States) of the European Patent Organisation with the EPO will support the specific IP components of the project.

A Project Steering Committee (PSC) oversees project implementation and approves Overall and Annual Work Plans of activities. It is composed of representatives for MOFCOM, European Commission, Chinese beneficiaries, Project Director and the Technical Assistance Team as well as other stakeholders.

A Chinese Project Task Force (PTF) under MOFCOM co-ordinates the project’s technical, administrative, financial and human resources.

A Technical Assistance Team (TAT) comprising of European experts lends its expertise to the PTF for the implementation of activities. The European Patent Office (EPO) was selected to provide this Technical Assistance to the project. The PTF and TAT work together at the premises of the PTF located at Yonghe Plaza in Beijing.

See Team.