On April 3, 2020, China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) issues the new Administrative Measures for the Use of Special marks Reserved for Geographical Indications (Trial).

The special marks reserved for GI (see below), which is an official mark for consumer to verify the GI protected products in China, may be used by the authorized producers, members affiliated to the owner of the GI collective trademark, licensees of the GI certification trademark and other users subject to the CNIPA’s recordal and publicization.

According to the Measures on the Protection of the Foreign GI, the right owner of foreign GI or the producers of the foreign GI products may apply to CNIPA for the use of the special marks. The new measures explicitly provides that foreign GI products using such special marks shall indicate the unified social credit code of the authorized Chinese dealer.

Contributed by: Wei He