The General Office of the State Intellectual Property Office ("SIPO") has recently issued the Circular on Launching the Pilot Program of Building the Capacity of Enterprises to Utilize Patent Information in 2018 (the "Circular").
The Circular proposes to continue to strengthen the building of enterprises' capacity to make use of patent information, help enterprises improve their capacity to utilize patent information, and establish and improve the patent information utilization mechanism; it is also proposed to explore the modes and principles with respect to the utilization of patent information into the business operation, form a scientific, standardized and feasible guidance system for the utilization of patent information, step up efforts in generalizing and applying work products, and facilitate the helpful role of patent information in propping up the innovative development of enterprises. Accordingly, the Circular outlines ten pilot programs for building enterprises' capacity to use patent information, which focus on all steps of the production and operation management of enterprises, adding that enterprises may apply for such programs either independently or in partnership with service agencies. In addition, the Circular requires that each provincial intellectual property bureau shall be responsible for arranging for enterprises to apply for these programs by completing and submitting the Application for the Pilot Program Designed to Build the Capacity of Enterprises to Utilize Patent Information, and submit applications of recommended programs by June 26, 2018.