As part of its work on supporting right holders of intellectual property, the EU-China IPR2 Project publishes a series of condensed guides for European and Chinese companies seeking practical advice on how to protect their IP in China and Europe respectively. These Roadmaps for IP Protection are available to download free-of-charge at www.ipr2.org/roadmap. The Roadmap series targets individual right holders of intellectual property for whom the steps for registration of IP and the enforcement of IPR in China are often not very clear and transparent due to the number of regulations and many agencies involved, or where information in English may not be readily available. For Chinese companies wanting to protect their rights in Europe, the Roadmaps are a useful information tool on the European system in Chinese. Many right holders, particularly SMEs, have limited awareness of how to properly protect and enforce their rights through the ways and means provided by the existing legal framework. The Roadmaps aim to address this directly.

These publications are produced in English and Chinese for both European and Chinese right holders. The content is based on the opinion of independent experts and is designed to give guidance to Chinese and European companies, but not to substitute for legal counsel. The Roadmaps do, however, aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the protection and enforcement environment in China and the systems and practices in Europe in order to increase general awareness of the key issues in both regions.

As these Roadmaps publications are of particular interest to industry, we welcome the support of business intermediary organisations in forwarding them to their interested members. Furthermore, industry is invited to provide feedback on whether the content of the Roadmaps is in line with experience. Comments will be taken into consideration for future updates. Hard copies can be provided upon request and any comments may be forwarded directly to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

In Europe

How to Register and Protect a Community Design

The How to Register and Protect a Community Design Roadmap provides an overview of the European design registration system. A Community design is a right for the external appearance of a product or part of it, resulting from the features of the product itself and/or its ornamentation valid for all 27 Member States of the European Union and directly enforceable in all of these countries. This issue covers the term and scope of protection in Europe, the requirements for protection, the registration process and the key means (civil, administrative and criminal means) of enforcing a Community design.

IP Protection at Trade Fairs in Europe

The IP Protection at Trade Fairs in Europe provides an overview of the issues particular to trade fairs when it comes to protecting IP rights and how to be prepared to face the possible risk of infringement when exhibiting during a trade fair in Europe. It covers the different methods and practices employed by the major trade fairs in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. 

Coming soon are Roadmaps on How to Register and Protect a Community Trademark in Europe and How to Apply for a European Patent.

Copyright  Protection in China

The Copyright Protection in China Roadmap provides an overview of the Chinese copyright system. As in Europe, copyright arises in China as soon as an original work is created. The Copyright Law protects copyrights by way of administrative actions, civil actions and criminal actions. Various administrative authorities are empowered to take enforcement actions either independently or through joint efforts. This issue looks at what types of works are protected, establishing your copyright, the benefits of voluntary recordal, what constitutes infringement and pursuing judicial and administrative enforcement.

Patent  Protection in China

The Patent Protection in China Roadmap provides an overview of the Chinese patent system at present. China adopted a revision of the Patent Law on 27 December 2008. This is the third revision and will take effect on 1 October 2009 and will bring a number of substantial changes to the Chinese patent system. The pretext to the Roadmap provides a summary of the most important changes. 

Trademark Protection in China

The Trademark Protection in China Roadmap provides an overview of the trademark registration process in China and what steps can be taken to enforce trademark rights.

Customs Enforcement in China

The Customs Enforcement in China Roadmap provides an overview of China customs system and what practical and legal steps companies can take to reduce the risk of IP infringement in the area of customs.