CNIPA and GACC Joint Opinion 2026: Strengthened IPR Customs Protection for Trademark and Patent Owners
- On 8 October 2026 the China National Intellectual Property Administration and the General Administration of Customs jointly issued the Opinions on Strengthening Coordinated Intellectual Property Protection, released publicly on 14 October.
2026 年 10 月 8 日，国家知识产权局与海关总署联合印发《关于强化知识产权协同保护的意见》，并于 10 月 14 日公开发布。
- The Opinions set out seven areas of work, covering information sharing, investigation assistance, business support, key-sector protection, joint research, talent development and evaluation.
《意见》提出七项重点工作，涵盖信息共享、调查协助、业务支撑、重点领域保护、会商调研、人才培养和评估奖惩。
- Under information sharing, CNIPA will provide customs with trademark and patent basic data on a regular basis to make it easier for rights holders to complete customs recordation.
在信息共享方面，国家知识产权局将定期向海关总署提供商标、专利等基础数据信息，便利权利人办理海关备案。
- The two authorities will also share well-known trademark confirmations, records of revoked or invalidated trademarks, and decisions in major patent infringement administrative rulings.
双方还将共享驰名商标确认信息、撤销或者宣告无效的商标信息，以及重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决决定信息。
- For patent cases involving technical questions, CNIPA will recommend experts such as technical investigation officers to customs according to customs needs.
对涉及专业技术性事项的专利侵权案件，国家知识产权局将根据海关需求推荐技术调查官等专家。
- The Opinions encourage rights holders with well-known trademark records, collective or certification marks registered as geographical indications, and photovoltaic and other key industry enterprises to file customs recordation.
《意见》鼓励有驰名商标确认记录、作为地理标志注册的集体商标或证明商标，以及光伏等重点产业企业的权利人积极向海关申请知识产权备案。
- The customs recordation system itself already exists; the Opinions strengthen coordination around it rather than creating a new recordation regime.
海关知识产权备案制度本身早已存在；《意见》是在其基础上强化协同，而非新设一项备案制度。
- Implementation is led by the IP Protection Department of CNIPA and the Comprehensive Business Department of GACC, which will establish a standing liaison mechanism with designated contacts.
落实工作由国家知识产权局知识产权保护司与海关总署综合业务司牵头，建立常态化联络机制并确定联络人。
CNIPA and GACC Joint Opinion 2026: Strengthened IPR Customs Protection for Trademark and Patent Owners | 国家知识产权局与海关总署 2026 年联合意见：商标与专利权利人的知识产权海关保护协同
Overview
On 8 October 2026, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and the General Administration of Customs (GACC) jointly issued the Opinions on Strengthening Coordinated Intellectual Property Protection (《关于强化知识产权协同保护的意见》). The document was released publicly on 14 October 2026.
The stated aim is to combine the strengths of the intellectual property administration and customs so that the two work as one force, advance protection across the whole intellectual property chain, and support a sound business and innovation environment. For trademark and patent owners, the practical question is what the coordination changes at the border and in the recordation process, and what it does not change. This article sets out the seven areas of work, reproduces the official wording where it matters, and identifies the practical handles for foreign rights holders. It does not extend the text beyond what the document says.
Key developments in 2026
The Opinions are organised into seven areas of work, together with implementation arrangements.
Information sharing. The two authorities will establish a long-term working mechanism for data sharing and application. CNIPA will provide GACC with trademark and patent basic data on a regular basis, which makes it easier for rights holders to complete customs recordation. The two will also share well-known trademark confirmation information, information on trademarks that have been revoked or declared invalid, and decisions in major patent infringement administrative dispute rulings, to assist customs enforcement. GACC will provide CNIPA with data on trademarks and patents that have been recorded for customs protection and on trademark and patent cases in which goods have been confiscated. The two will notify each other of their administrative enforcement replies in trademark and patent matters, to promote consistency in infringement assessment standards, and will jointly advance intellectual property informatisation.
Investigation assistance. Where the intellectual property administration handles a trademark or patent infringement case involving imported or exported goods and requests customs assistance, customs is to provide it. Where customs investigates suspected infringing goods that have been detained and requests assistance, the intellectual property administration is to assist. For patent infringement cases involving specialised technical matters, CNIPA will recommend experts such as technical investigation officers according to customs needs. Verification of registered trademark information and status may be carried out through the CNIPA trademark registration certificate public notice system.
Business support. When customs investigates goods suspected of infringing trademark or patent rights, it will refer fully to the infringement assessment standards formulated by CNIPA as well as to relevant administrative replies and administrative ruling decisions made by the intellectual property administration. For relatively specialised and complex questions of identification — the same goods, similar goods, identical trademarks, similar trademarks and patent infringement — customs may seek the views of the intellectual property administration at the same level, which is to reply in a timely manner and issue a professional opinion.
Key-sector protection. The intellectual property administration encourages rights holders with well-known trademark confirmation records, collective or certification marks registered as geographical indications, and photovoltaic and other key industry enterprises to actively apply to customs for intellectual property recordation. GACC reviews applications in accordance with the law, and once recordation is completed, customs strengthens protection based on national industrial policy and the results of risk analysis.
Joint research, talent and evaluation. The two will hold discussions on difficult trademark and patent cases, conduct joint research on major difficult issues to promote consistency in enforcement standards, and jointly advance the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data in intellectual property protection. They will exchange teaching resources and support specialised training on foreign-related intellectual property protection. They will periodically evaluate the effectiveness of protection work, publicly commend outstanding collectives and individuals, and remind those whose work is lagging.
Implementation. The work is led by the IP Protection Department of CNIPA and the Comprehensive Business Department of GACC, which will establish a standing liaison mechanism and designate contacts. Intellectual property administration departments below the provincial level and customs offices directly under GACC will establish corresponding liaison mechanisms.
Practical implications for foreign businesses
Five practical handles follow for foreign trademark and patent owners.
First, recordation remains the core instrument. Customs active protection applies to trademarks and patents that have been recorded; the Opinions reinforce the recordation process rather than replace it. The information-sharing measures are designed to make recordation easier to complete.
Second, certain categories of rights holders are explicitly encouraged to apply for recordation: those with well-known trademark confirmation records, collective or certification marks registered as geographical indications, and photovoltaic and other key industry enterprises. Once recorded, customs strengthens protection based on national industrial policy and risk analysis.
Third, technical investigation officers now enter the customs case-support system. For patent matters, where the technical questions are specialised, CNIPA may recommend experts such as technical investigation officers according to customs needs, so patent infringement assessment does not rest on customs judgement alone.
Fourth, consistency of infringement assessment standards improves predictability. Customs refers to CNIPA’s infringement assessment standards and to administrative replies and rulings, and may consult the intellectual property administration at the same level on difficult identification questions.
Fifth, specialised training on foreign-related intellectual property protection is written into the document, indicating a direction of professionalisation in cross-border enforcement.
One clarification belongs in any complete reading. The Opinions do not create a new recordation regime. Customs intellectual property recordation has long existed under the applicable customs rules. What the Opinions do is strengthen coordination around that existing framework — through data sharing, investigation assistance, standard alignment and key-sector encouragement — so that the two authorities act with a common understanding. Rights holders who already hold recordation, and those considering it, should read the document as an improvement in the operating environment for enforcement at the border.
Related reading
- Customs intellectual property recordation is the gateway to customs active protection for recorded trademarks and patents.
- For patent cases involving specialised technical matters, CNIPA may recommend experts such as technical investigation officers to customs.
- Rights holders with well-known trademark records, geographical indication collective or certification marks, and photovoltaic and other key industry enterprises are encouraged to apply for recordation.
Sources
- 国家知识产权局官网·《关于强化知识产权协同保护的意见》全文：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/art/2026/10/14/art_3611_208509.html?xxgkhide=1
- 中国金融新闻网·两部门联合印发及七项重点工作全文（2026-10-14）：https://www.financialnews.com.cn/2026-10/14/content_458807.html
- 新华报业网转央视·重点领域保护报道：https://www.xhby.net/content/s6acf29f1e4b0cd8a37594433.html
- 海关总署官网（海关知识产权保护相关公告与政策栏目）：http://www.customs.gov.cn/
国家知识产权局与海关总署 2026 年联合意见：商标与专利权利人的知识产权海关保护协同
概述
2026 年 10 月 8 日，国家知识产权局与海关总署联合印发《关于强化知识产权协同保护的意见》，并于 2026 年 10 月 14 日公开发布。
《意见》的目标是发挥知识产权管理部门与海关的各自优势，形成工作合力，协同推进知识产权全链条保护，营造良好营商环境和创新环境。对商标与专利权利人而言，实务问题在于：这一协同在口岸环节与备案流程中改变了什么，又没有改变什么。本文梳理《意见》的七项重点工作，在关键处照录官方原文表述，并指出外资权利人的实操抓手。本文不超出文件本身所写的内容作延伸。
2026 年的关键进展
《意见》分为七项重点工作，并配有落实安排。
加强信息共享。 双方将建立数据共享应用合作长效工作机制。国家知识产权局定期向海关总署提供商标、专利等基础数据信息，便利权利人办理海关备案；同时共享驰名商标确认信息、撤销或者宣告无效的商标信息，以及重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决决定信息，辅助海关执法。海关总署定期向国家知识产权局提供进行海关保护备案的商标、专利数据信息，以及予以没收的商标、专利案件信息。双方互相通报各自作出的商标、专利行政执法答复，促进商标、专利侵权判断标准统一，并共同推动知识产权信息化建设。
强化调查协助。 知识产权管理部门处理涉及进出口货物的商标、专利侵权案件请求海关协助的，海关应当予以协助；海关对被扣留的侵权嫌疑货物进行调查请求协助的，知识产权管理部门应当协助。对涉及专业技术性事项的专利侵权案件，国家知识产权局将根据海关需求推荐技术调查官等专家。核实注册商标信息及状态，可通过国家知识产权局商标注册证明公示系统进行。
加强业务支撑。 海关调查涉嫌侵犯商标权、专利权的货物时，充分参考国家知识产权局制定的侵权判断标准，以及知识产权管理部门作出的相关行政答复、行政裁决决定；遇较专业复杂的同一种商品、类似商品、相同商标、近似商标、专利侵权等认定问题，可征求同级知识产权管理部门意见，知识产权管理部门应及时答复、出具专业意见。
强化重点领域保护。 知识产权管理部门鼓励有驰名商标确认记录、作为地理标志注册的集体商标或证明商标，以及光伏等重点产业企业的权利人，积极向海关申请知识产权备案。海关总署依法审核；经海关总署备案后，海关基于国家产业政策和风险分析结果加强保护。
加强会商调研、人才培养和评估奖惩。 双方就商标、专利疑难案件开展研讨，对重大疑难问题联合调研，促进执法标准统一；共同推进人工智能、大数据等新技术在知识产权保护工作中的应用。互派师资，支持涉外知识产权保护专业培训。定期评估保护工作成效，对突出集体和个人通报表扬，对工作不力的督促提醒。
落实安排。 工作由国家知识产权局知识产权保护司与海关总署综合业务司牵头，建立常态化联络机制、确定联络人；省级以下知识产权管理部门、直属海关建立相应联络机制。
对外资企业的实务意义
对外资商标与专利权利人而言，有五个实操抓手。
第一，备案仍是核心抓手。海关的主动保护适用于已备案的商标与专利；《意见》强化的是围绕备案流程的协同，而非取而代之。信息共享方面的举措，目的在于让备案更便于完成。
第二，若干类权利人被明确鼓励申请备案：有驰名商标确认记录的、作为地理标志注册的集体商标或证明商标的，以及光伏等重点产业企业的权利人。备案完成后，海关基于国家产业政策和风险分析结果加强保护。
第三，技术调查官进入海关办案支持体系。就专利事项而言，遇专业技术性较强的问题，国家知识产权局可根据海关需求推荐技术调查官等专家，专利侵权认定不再只依赖海关自身判断。
第四，侵权判断标准趋于统一，可预期性提升。海关参考国家知识产权局的侵权判断标准及相关行政答复、裁决，遇疑难认定问题还可征求同级知识产权管理部门意见。
第五，涉外知识产权保护专业培训被写入文件，指向跨境维权的专业化方向。
任何完整的解读都应包含一处澄清。《意见》并未新设一项备案制度。海关知识产权备案制度早已存在，其依据是适用的海关规则。《意见》所做的是围绕这一既有框架强化协同——通过数据共享、调查协助、标准衔接与重点领域鼓励，使两个部门以一致理解开展工作。已持有备案的权利人，以及正在考虑备案的权利人，宜将该文件理解为口岸执法营商环境的改善。
延伸阅读
- 海关知识产权备案，是已备案商标与专利获得海关主动保护的前提。
- 对涉及专业技术性事项的专利侵权案件，国家知识产权局可根据海关需求推荐技术调查官等专家。
- 有驰名商标确认记录、作为地理标志注册的集体商标或证明商标，以及光伏等重点产业企业的权利人，被鼓励申请备案。
来源
- 国家知识产权局官网·《关于强化知识产权协同保护的意见》全文：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/art/2026/10/14/art_3611_208509.html?xxgkhide=1
- 中国金融新闻网·两部门联合印发及七项重点工作全文（2026-10-14）：https://www.financialnews.com.cn/2026-10/14/content_458807.html
- 新华报业网转央视·重点领域保护报道：https://www.xhby.net/content/s6acf29f1e4b0cd8a37594433.html
- 海关总署官网（海关知识产权保护相关公告与政策栏目）：http://www.customs.gov.cn/