The General Office of the China's National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) recently issued the Working Rules for Local Branches of the National Oversea IP Dispute and Guidance Center (trial) as well as the Performance Evaluation Rules for Local Branches of the National Oversea IP Dispute and Guidance Center (trial), in a bid to beef up guidance of oversea IP disputes.

　　The Working Rules aims to bolster management of the local branches, enabling them to offer more efficient, easy and rapid guidance to companies in risk alleviation and dispute response, and serving economic development of their respective areas. Per the Working Rules, local branches are established with the approval from the CNIPA, offering not-for-profit services to companies in dealing with oversea IP disputes. Their missions are collecting and reporting information of disputes, guiding companies to resolve disputes, offering training on risk prevention and control, coordination of resources available for dealing with disputes.

　　The establishment of the local branches is an important measure in implementing the decision on enhancing IP protection made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and other relevant measures, bolstering guidance of dealing with oversea IP disputes. Last April, based on the principle of voluntary application, CNIPA certified the first group of ten local branches.