China Trademark Agency Credit Evaluation Pilot Program Makes Steady Progress

In 2024, the National Intellectual Property Administration of China (CNIPA) launched a one-year pilot program for China trademark agency credit evaluation management in five provinces: Hebei, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hubei. The evaluation covers all trademark agencies and practitioners in these provinces, with a credit rating system consisting of four levels: A, B, C, and D.

Preliminary evaluation results have been released, and the credit ratings of 6,646 agencies and 10,597 practitioners have been published on the websites of provincial intellectual property offices. Some agencies and individuals had their credit scores deducted and ratings adjusted due to negative credit information.

This pilot program is crucial for improving the credit regulatory mechanism, strengthening intellectual property agency supervision, and guiding the healthy and orderly development of the industry. CNIPA plans to summarize the pilot experience, further refine the evaluation methods and index system, and promote the credit evaluation mechanism nationwide in due course to foster the sustainable and healthy development of the trademark agency industry.