The "Year of Rectification and Standardization" campaign in the intellectual property agency industry will continue

2026-04-08
Currently, the agency rate for domestic invention patent applications in China has exceeded 95%, and the agency rate for trademark registration applications is also close to 90%. Intellectual property agency services play a significant role in protecting innovation achievements and cultivating trademark brands.

In order to further maintain the order of the intellectual property agency industry and create a favorable environment for its development, the China National Intellectual Property Administration has continuously strengthened the supervision of the agency industry in recent years.

"Since November 2025, the China National Intellectual Property Administration, in conjunction with the Ministry of Public Security and the State Administration for Market Regulation, has jointly carried out a special rectification action in the intellectual property agency industry, severely cracking down on illegal and irregular agency behaviors, and focusing on rectifying non-standard professional practices, achieving positive results." Recently, Hu Wenhui, Deputy Director of the China National Intellectual Property Administration, introduced at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.


Crack down on illegal and chaotic phenomena with full coverage and maintain a persistent high-pressure deterrent.

The China National Intellectual Property Administration has taken strong measures to crack down on seven types of illegal and irregular behaviors, including the forgery of patent applicants and the leasing or lending of qualifications. In conjunction with various local authorities, it has imposed more than 170 penalties, including suspension and revocation, on 61 patent and trademark agencies and 22 patent agents. It has also achieved a large number of "first-case, first-penalty" cases targeting new circumstances and behaviors, with unprecedented scale and intensity. In conjunction with the State Administration for Market Regulation, it has strictly regulated the solicitation of agency business on the Internet, guiding relevant Internet platforms to block and remove more than 100,000 pieces of illegal information and advertisements, and shut down more than 2,200 platform users. The public security organs have filed and investigated dozens of criminal cases involving the forgery of official seals, the use of false information, and the use of intellectual property to fabricate qualifications to defraud financial subsidies. Many of these cases have been transferred to judicial authorities for prosecution, quickly creating a high-pressure deterrent situation.


We will thoroughly eliminate violations and foster a healthy industry ecosystem.

The China National Intellectual Property Administration strictly manages the approval and filing of patent and trademark agencies, guarding against evasion of supervision through behaviors such as "changing appearance" and "reverse mergers". It has organized a comprehensive self-examination and rectification campaign among over 50,000 patent and trademark agencies across the industry, focusing on prominent violations such as patent agents "hanging licenses" and providing patent "reporting services" for unqualified institutions and personnel. So far, 187 patent agencies, 1,279 branches, and over 6,000 practicing patent agents have been rectified. Nearly 10,000 trademark agencies that failed to pass identity verification have been restricted from handling trademark business, and the initial effects of industry governance are becoming visible.


Deepen source governance across the entire chain and promote the establishment of long-term effective mechanisms.

Since the launch of the special action, the China National Intellectual Property Administration has intensified its efforts to investigate and handle abnormal patent applications, curbing application behaviors that violate the principle of honesty and credibility. It has cleared 1.736 million abnormal accounts for electronic patent applications and strengthened the verification of application information such as inventors and the review of fee reductions and exemptions. The administration has organized more than 180 intellectual property trading and operation platforms nationwide to conduct self-inspection and rectification to prevent patent trading for improper purposes. It has promoted comprehensive optimization and adjustment of patent policies that focus solely on quantity across various regions, and organized local authorities to hold talks with universities, research institutions, hospitals, and enterprises with a high number of abnormal patent applications, urging them to strengthen internal control management and prevent patent fraud at the source.


All regions across the country are actively exploring innovative rectification measures and management policies to promote the thorough and effective implementation of special rectification work.

Among them, Jiangsu has intensified penalties, applying the provision on disclosure for the first time to crack down on patent "proxy filing" behavior, and taking the lead in refining the criteria for determining "serious circumstances" under relevant provisions. Hebei actively guides non-compliant institutions to merge, reorganize, and exit in an orderly manner. Zhejiang has strengthened accountability for applicants, filing 20 cases against patent applicants who engaged in fraud, and completing administrative penalties against patent-falsifying enterprises for the first time. Jilin, Shanghai, Hainan, Xinjiang, and other regions have coordinated with departments such as science and technology, education, industry and information technology, health and wellness, and state-owned assets to clean up assessment and evaluation policy provisions that prioritize quantity, and promote the inclusion of regulating abnormal patent applications in scientific research management, project evaluation, talent assessment, and other work in relevant industries, forming a good situation of collaborative governance.



"Next, the China National Intellectual Property Administration will continue to carry out the 'Year of Rectification and Regulation' campaign for the intellectual property agency industry in conjunction with the Ministry of Public Security and the State Administration for Market Regulation," introduced Hu Wenhui. The 'Year of Rectification and Regulation' campaign will adhere to the principle of strictness, systematic governance, promoting governance through rectification, and standardized development. It will persist in coordinated efforts and comprehensive measures, continue to maintain a high-pressure regulatory posture, severely crack down on illegal and irregular behaviors, strengthen the coordination and linkage among policy, application, agency, and examination ends, and regulate the entire chain of intellectual property application, agency, trading, and use behaviors. By the end of this year, we aim to fundamentally improve the order of the agency industry and promote the construction of a good intellectual property service environment and innovation ecosystem. (Reporter: Wu Ke)


Source: China Intellectual Property News
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