China National Intellectual Property Administration rejected 429 applications for trademark registration, including "Ice Shield, Gu Ailing". How to treat malicious cybersquatting?

China National Intellectual Property Administration issued a notice today (14) to crack down on malicious trademark registration behaviors such as "Ice Shield" and "Gu Ailing". China National Intellectual Property Administration rejected 429 applications for trademark registration, such as No.41kloc-0/28524 "Ice Shield" and No.62453532 "Gu Ailing", in accordance with the Regulations on the Protection of Olympic Symbols and Article 10, paragraph 1 (8) of the Trademark Law. According to the first paragraph of Article 44 of the Trademark Law, NO. 4 1 1269 16 "Shelton" and No. 38770 198 "Gu Ailing" was voluntarily declared invalid ex officio.

Screenshot of China National Intellectual Property Administration's notice. The picture is from official website, China National Intellectual Property Administration.

It is understood that China National Intellectual Property Administration attaches great importance to the protection of intellectual property rights in the Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, and continues to carry out special actions against malicious trademark registration. It has successively protected the emblem of "Beijing 2022", the emblem of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and the emblem of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics, and registered the trademarks of "Ice Shield" and "Edelweiss" applied by the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, as well as the trademark of "Gu Ailing" applied by other eligible subjects.

However, since 20 19, a few enterprises and natural persons have maliciously registered the mascots and athletes' names of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics for the purpose of seeking improper benefits, entrusted an agency to submit an application for trademark registration, illegally used the reputation rights of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Organizing Committee, and infringed on the legitimate rights and interests of others, causing great social adverse effects and damaging the good image of China's strict protection of intellectual property rights.