1. 哪些情况下可以提起对知识产权侵权的行政投诉？提起行政投诉的主体有哪些？
以下行为可以提起对知识产权侵权的行政投诉：
（1）专利可投诉侵权行为：
A. 任何单位或者个人未经发明和实用新型专利权人许可，实施其专利，即为生产经营目的制造、使用、许诺销售、销售、进口其专利产品，或者使用其专利方法以及使用、许诺销售、销售、进口依照该专利方法直接获得的产品。
B. 任何单位或者个人未经外观设计专利权人许可，实施其专利，为生产经营目的制造、许诺销售、销售、进口其外观设计专利产品。
C. 假冒专利行为。
（2）商标可投诉侵权行为：
A. 未经商标注册人的许可，在同一种商品上使用与其注册商标相同的商标的；
B. 未经商标注册人的许可，在同一种商品上使用与其注册商标近似的商标，或者在类似商品上使用与其注册商标相同或者近似的商标，容易导致混淆的；
C. 销售侵犯注册商标专用权的商品的；
D. 伪造、擅自制造他人注册商标标识或者销售伪造、擅自制造的注册商标标识的；
E. 未经商标注册人同意，更换其注册商标并将该更换商标的商品又投入市场的；
F. 故意为侵犯他人商标专用权行为提供便利条件，帮助他人实施侵犯商标专用权行为的；
G. 给他人的注册商标专用权造成其他损害的。
（3）著作权可投诉侵权行为：
A. 未经著作权人许可，复制、发行、表演、放映、广播、汇编、通过信息网络向公众传播其作品的，著作权法另有规定的除外；
B. 出版他人享有专有出版权的图书的；
C. 未经表演者许可，复制、发行录有其表演的录音录像制品，或者通过信息网络向公众传播其表演的，著作权法另有规定的除外；
D. 未经录音录像制作者许可，复制、发行、通过信息网络向公众传播其制作的录音录像制品的，著作权法另有规定的除外；
E. 未经许可，播放或者复制广播、电视的，著作权法另有规定的除外；
F. 未经著作权人或者与著作权有关的权利人许可，故意避开或者破坏权利人为其作品、录音录像制品等采取的保护著作权或者与著作权有关的权利的技术措施的，法律、行政法规另有规定的除外；
G. 未经著作权人或者与著作权有关的权利人许可，故意删除或者改变作品、录音录像制品等的权利管理电子信息的，法律、行政法规另有规定的除外；
H. 制作、出售假冒他人署名的作品的。
提起行政投诉的主体包括：
（1） 专利权人或者利害关系人；
（2） 商标注册人或者利害关系人；
（3） 著作权人或者利害关系人。
2. 权利人在提起行政投诉后，是否还可以就知识产权侵权向法院提起民事侵权诉讼？
知识产权行政保护具有非终局性，对于经过行政保护认定的侵权或不侵权的结果，如果当事人不认可又不提起行政诉讼，可以向法院提起民事侵权诉讼。法院对行政保护程序中所认定的结果并不当然认可，而是需要重新对案件事实进行全面审查。如果提起民事侵权诉讼时，行政投诉还没有裁决，行政投诉案件会终止审理。
3. 当接到行政投诉后，行政主管部门的一般处理流程？
行政投诉申请符合行政投诉规定条件的，行政主管部门应当在收到请求书之后立案并通知请求人，同时指定执法人员处理该行政投诉；行政投诉请求不符合行政投诉规定条件的，行政主管部门应当在收到投诉请求后通知请求人不予受理，并说明理由。
行政主管部门应当在立案后将请求书及其附件的副本送达被请求人，要求其在收到之日起指定日期内提交答辩书并按照请求人的数量提供答辩书副本。被请求人逾期不提交答辩书的，不影响行政主管部门进行处理。
行政主管部门处理行政投诉案件时，可以根据当事人的意愿进行调解。双方当事人达成一致的，由行政主管部门制作调解协议书，加盖其公章，并由双方当事人签名或者盖章。调解不成的，应当及时作出处理决定。
4. 如果行政主管部门认定投诉成立，行政主管部门可以对侵权人采取哪些措施？
认定侵权行为成立的，责令立即停止侵权行为，根据法律法规规定对侵权人可以采取没收、销毁侵权商品和主要用于制造侵权商品工具，处以一定金额罚款，没有违法所得等。
5. 行政投诉阶段，知识产权权利人可以要求侵权人赔偿吗？
（1）专利方面，在行政投诉阶段，认定侵权行为成立之后，权利人可以单独请求调解侵犯专利权赔偿数额。依据《专利法》第六十条、《专利行政执法办法》第二十二条，对赔偿数额进行处理的管理专利工作的部门应当事人的请求，可以就侵犯专利权的赔偿数额进行调解。
如果调解不成的，当事人为获得赔偿，需要向人民法院起诉。
（2）著作权方面，可以请求版权行政机关（如版权局、文化执法总队）进行行政调解，也可以向人民法院起诉。
（3）商标方面，《商标法》第六十条规定对侵犯商标专用权的赔偿数额的争议，当事人可以请求进行处理的工商行政管理部门调解，也可以向人民法院起诉。
6. 如果知识产权权利人对行政投诉结果不服，可以采取哪些救济途径？
（1）专利：当事人对处理结果不服时，可以自收到处理通知之日起十五日内起诉至法院。依据《专利法》第六十条，管理专利工作的部门处理时，认定侵权行为成立的，可以责令侵权人立即停止侵权行为，当事人不服的，可以向人民法院起诉。
行政行为通常还有行政复议的救济措施，但需注意，依据《专利行政保护复议与应诉指引》，以下情形可以向人民法院提起民事诉讼，但不能申请行政复议：
当事人对管理专利工作的部门作出的侵权纠纷处理决定不服的；
当事人对管理专利工作的部门作出的调解不服的；
由各知识产权保护中心、知识产权快速维权中心等单位协助办理的电商、展会领域专利案件，以调解形式结案的。
（2）著作权：《著作权行政投诉指南》第七条规定投诉人如果对著作权行政管理部门的处理决定不服，可以依法申请行政复议或者提起行政诉讼。
（3）商标：《商标法》第六十条，经工商行政管理部门调解，当事人未达成协议或者调解书生效后不履行的，当事人可以向人民法院起诉。
7. 什么是知识产权海关保护？
知识产权海关保护，是指海关根据国家法律法规的规定，对与进出口货物有关并受中华人民共和国法律、行政法规保护的商标专用权、著作权和与著作权有关的权利、专利权、世界博览会标志、奥林匹克标志实施的保护。需要特别注意的是，集成电路布图设计、商业秘密、商号名称、植物新品种、地理标志等不在海关保护范围之内。
知识产权海关保护又分为，依职权主动查缉的主动保护，以及依权利人申请采取保护措施的被动保护。其中主动保护是最常见的保护措施：当权利人备案后，海关发现侵权嫌疑货物将主动通知权利人，如权利人认为该货物侵犯其在海关总署备案的知识产权，申请扣留并提供担保的，海关则扣留货物，同时让权利人以及收发货人提交证据材料并展开调查，根据调查结果做出相应的措施。由此可见，海关采取主动保护并扣留涉嫌侵权货物必须具备两个前提：1、涉嫌被侵权的知识产权已在海关进行了备案；2、权利人向海关提出保护申请和担保。而权利人在海关备案，是保护自身知识产权非常重要的环节。
当然，未经许可，擅自使用他人未在海关总署备案的受中国法律和行政法规保护的知识产权, 仍然属于侵权行为，应当承担法律责任。
1. How to determine jurisdiction of the court if a litigation against theintellectual property right is lodged in China?
Jurisdiction of the court isdivided into territorial jurisdiction and differential jurisdiction.
l Territorial jurisdiction:
(1)The case of patentinfringement disputes shall be subject to jurisdiction of the people’s courtwhere the act of infringement or the domicile of the defendant is located.
(2)The case of trademarkinfringement disputes shall be subject to jurisdiction of the people’s courtwhere the act of infringement is implemented, the infringed commodity is storedor closed down or detained, or the domicile of the defendant is located.
(3)The case of copyrightinfringement disputes shall be subject to jurisdiction of the people’s courtwhere the act of infringement is implemented, infringed duplicate is stored orclosed down or detained, or the domicile of the defendant is located.
l Differential jurisdiction:
(1)The case of trial of firstinstance for patent disputes shall be subject to the intermediate people’scourt where the people’s government of the provinces, autonomous regions andmunicipalities is located and the intermediate people’s court designated by theSupreme People’s Court; the Supreme People’s Court may designate the basicpeople’s court to have jurisdiction over the trial of first instance for patentdispute cases as the case may be.
(2)The case of trial of firstinstance for trademark infringement disputes shall be subject to jurisdictionof the intermediate people’s court and above. The higher people’s court may,upon approval by the Supreme People’s Court, determine 1 to 2 basic people’scourts to accept the trial of first instance for civil dispute cases oftrademark relatively big cities, according to the actual situation in the areaunder administration.
(3)The cases of copyrightinfringement disputes and civil cases of copyright disputes shall be subject tojurisdiction of the intermediate people’s court and above. The higher people’scourt may determine several basic people’s courts to have jurisdiction over thetrial of first instance for civil dispute cases of copyright.
Besides, as the specializedcourts of intellectual property are established in Beijing, Shanghai andGuangzhou, according to the Regulations of the Supreme People’s Court on CaseJurisdiction of the Intellectual Property Courts in Beijing, Shanghai andGuangzhou, with respect to the civil case of trial of first instance inrelation to the patent, new varieties of plants, layout designs of integratedcircuit, know-how, computer software and well-known trademark cognizanceinvolved, the abovementioned disputes occurring in Beijing, Shanghai andGuangzhou shall all be subject to jurisdiction of the intellectual propertycourts in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou accordingly.
2. How long is the period of limitation for action against the IntellectualProperty Rights?
Article 188 of the General Rules of the Civil Lawof the People’s Republic of China stipulates that, the limitation of actionregarding applications to a people’s court for protection of civil rights shallbe three years. Where there are other provisions in the law, such provisionsshall apply.
As one of the civil rights, where no otherwiseprovided by the law, the limitation of action of intellectual property rightsshall be subject to the regulations in the General Rules of the Civil Law ofthe People’s Republic of China. At present, neither the Copyright Law of thePeople’s Republic of China nor the Trademark Law of the People’s Republic ofChina explicitly stipulates the limitation of action. Therefore, the limitationfor action against the intellectual property rights shall be three years.
Article 68 of the Patent Law of the People’sRepublic of China states that, the period of limitation for action againstpatent right infringement shall be two years, commencing from the date whenpatentee or interested party knows or should have known of the infringement.Such regulation on the limitation of action vs the General Rules on the same isjust like the relation of a special law vs a general law. Given the principleof the special law superior to the general law, the special law shall apply.However, the regulation in the Patent Law that the period of limitation foraction against patent right infringement shall be two years has the same natureas the general limitation of action of two years as stipulated in the GeneralRules of the Civil Law. Based on the principle of the new law superior to theold law, the current limitation for action against the patent rightinfringement shall also be three years, and the limitation of action is alsogenerally determined as three years in the juridical practice.
3. What are the general preservation measures in the system of intellectualproperty litigation?
In the system of intellectualproperty litigation, preservation measures are generally divided into threeclassifications.
First, property preservation.Property preservation is a compulsory measure of the people’s court for thesubject matter of litigation or the property related to the case according tolaw before making the judgement, in the case where judgement may not be executedor is hard to be executed due to the act of the party concerned or otherreasons. The people’s court may, before deciding to take the measures forlitigation preservation, order the applicant to provide guarantee, and dismissthe legal action in case of any refusal of providing the guarantee. Underemergent circumstances, the people’s court must make the judgement within 48hours and take the measures for litigation preservation immediately. The partyconcerned may apply for reconsideration in case of any objection to thejudgement of litigation preservation. During the period of reconsideration,execution of the judgement will be not suspended. Property preservation fallsinto property attachment prior to and during the lawsuit.
Second, evidence preservation.Evidence preservation refers to a measure of the people’s court for protectionover the evidence to ensure its degree of proof, in the cases where theevidence may be damaged, lost, or be hard to get in the future. Under thecircumstances where the evidence may be lost or be hard to get later, thelitigation participant may apply for evidence preservation, and the people’scourt may also take the initiative to take measures for evidence preservation.Evidence preservation also falls into preservation before and during theprosecution. In addition, the party concerned may also apply for notarizationand evidence taking with the notary office.
Third, behavior preservation.Behavior preservation refers to a compulsory measure of the people’s court forthe act of infringement or potential infringement upon the relevant partiesconcerned as per the application in the civil litigation, so as to holdinterests of the party concerned or interested parties harmless from any undueor further damage. In the case where judgement may not be executed or is hardto be executed due to the act of the party concerned or other reasons, thepeople’s court may, according to the application of the other party concerned,decide to order it to have certain act or prohibit it from certain act. Wherethe party concerned does not file any application, the people’s court may alsomake the judgement to take measures for preservation if necessary.
4. In the cases of intellectual property rights litigation, how can the rightowner claim for the amount of compensation?
The rights holder may claimfor compensation in the following manners.
If a copyright orcopyright-related right is infringed, compensation shall be paid according tothe actual loss of the right owner; if the computation of the actual loss isdifficult, compensation may be paid according to the illegal gains of theperson who makes the infringement. If the actual loss of the right owner or theillegal gains of the person who makes the infringement could not be ascertained,the compensation not exceeding 500,000 Yuan may be claimed depending on thecircumstances of the act of the infringement.
The compensation amount forinfringement of exclusive rights to use trademarks shall be determined inaccordance with the actual losses suffered by the rights holder due to theinfringement; where it is difficult to determine the actual losses, thecompensation amount may be determined in accordance with the gains derived bythe infringer from the infringement; where it is difficult to determine thelosses of the rights holder or the gains derived by the infringer, thecompensation amount shall be determined reasonably with reference to themultiples of the licensing fee the said trademark. For malicious infringementof exclusive rights to use trademarks, in serious cases,the compensation amount shall be determined in accordance with the aforesaidmethod based on one to five times of the determined amount. Where it isdifficult to determine the actual losses suffered by the rights holder due tothe infringement or the gains derived by the infringer from the infringement orthe licensing fee of the registered trademark, the compensation amount of notmore than RMB five million may be determined to the extent of the infringement.
The amount of compensation forpatent right infringement may be determined according to the patentee’s actuallosses caused by the infringement. If it is hard to determine the actuallosses, the amount of compensation may be determined according to the benefitsacquired by the infringer through the infringement. If it is hard to determinethe losses of the patentee or the benefits acquired by the infringer, theamount of compensation may be determined according to the reasonably multipliedamount of the royalties of that patent. If the losses of the patentee, benefitsof the infringer, or royalties of the patent are all hard to determine, theamount of compensation may be determined within the range from 10,000 Yuan to1,000,000 Yuan on the basis of the factors such as the type of patent right,nature of the infringement, and seriousness of the case.
When the lawful rights andinterests of the injured operator are damaged by the acts of unfaircompetition, it or he may claim compensation according to the actual lossessuffered by the infringement. Where the losses suffered by the injured operatorare difficult to calculate, the amount of damages shall be the profit gained bythe infringer through the infringing act. For malicious infringement ofbusiness secrets, in serious cases, the compensation amount shall be determinedin accordance with the aforesaid method based on one to five times of thedetermined amount. With respect to the acts of confusion and infringement onbusiness secrets by the infringer, if the actual losses suffered by theinfringement and the benefits derived from the infringement are hard todetermined, the right holder may claim for compensation in the amount of notexceeding RMB five million as per seriousness of the case.
5. Under what circumstances can a right holder claim punitive damagesaccording to the punitive damages system of the intellectual property Rightinfringement for a suspected act of infringement?
In 2013, the system ofpunitive damages was first introduced into the intellectual property area atthe time of revision on the Trademark Law of the People’s Republic of China,after which clauses on punitive damages were also added into the Law ofPeople’s Republic of China against Unfair Competition. Moreover, the newlypromulgated Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China explicitly prescribesthat, “where the intellectual property rights of others are intentionallyinfringed upon and in serious circumstances, the infringed has the right toclaim for corresponding punitive damages”, according to which the system ofpunitive damages is thus established in the entire intellectual property area.
According to laws andregulations, when protecting rights for the trademark and infringement upon thebusiness secrets, if the right holder can confirm that the infringer hasintentional infringement, the act of infringement is in serious circumstances,and can explicitly raise the standards for calculating the compensation, it maytake the initiative to require for application of the clauses on punitivedamages. Take the Trademark Law of the People’s Republic of China for instance.According to Article 63 of the Trademark Law of the People’s Republic of China,the right holder shall, firstly, prove that the infringer has the bad faith ofinfringement, that is, choosing to continue infringing despite fully aware ofinfringement, and the right holder shall provide the facts of additional actssuch as other intention of infringement and other wrongful acts in addition tothe amplectant intention so as to prove the scenario that the infringer stillchooses to infringe though he knows perfectly well the act of infringement.Besides, calculation of the punitive damages is bound up with the “actual lossof the right holder” or the “benefits got by the infringer” which can beconfirmed. Therefore, in the specific case, if the party of right holder raisesa specific formular to calculate the loss and necessary parameters forcalculation are well documented, application of the clauses on punitive damagesmay be claimed after exact quantification of the basic compensation for losses.
6. What materials shall the general right holder provide in the complaint orlawsuit of intellectual property cases?
Under normal conditions, theright holder shall provide materials in the following three aspects.
First, provide the materialswhich can prove the identity of the right holder and the infringer, such as thebusiness license of each party;
Second, provide materials ofownership certification of corresponding intellectual property rights enjoyedby the right holder, such as the certificate of the registered trademark right,certificate of the works registration, etc. In addition, as for theintellectual property rights under the name of the non-right holder, the rightholder shall also submit the letter of authorization issued by the true rightholder (indicating having the right to file an administrative complaint,litigation and other remedy rights). Translation and notarial certification arerequired for the materials of authorization provided the party concerned beyondthe border.
Third, provide materials ofevidence to prove the existence of an act of infringement by the infringer andlosses suffered from infringement. Such materials of evidence may be preparedaccording to specific case, while attention should be paid to integrity of theevidence chain. Such measures as notarization with the notarial authority mayalso be taken if necessary.
7. Which materials will require for notarial certification in the case offoreign-related intellectual property litigation?
According to the SeveralRegulations of the Supreme People’s Court on Evidence of Civil Litigation, theofficial document paper provided by the party concerned is formed within theterritory of the People’s Republic of China, and such evidence is certified bythe notarial authority of the state of occurrence or has gone through theformalities of certification as stipulated in the relevant treaty entered intoby and between the People’s Republic of China and such state. Therefore, interms of any foreign-related litigation of intellectual property, notarialcertification is required for the materials of evidence submitted by the rightholder and formed outside the territory of the People’s Republic of China.
In addition, in juridicalpractice, with regards to the subject identity certification of the overseasparty concerned and the letter of authorization issued out of the overseasparty concerned entrusting a Chinese lawyer to carry out litigation activities,corresponding formalities of notarial certification shall also be performed, asthe personal status relationship is involved.
8. Under which circumstances may the intellectual property right holder raisetemporal measures (including an order to stop infringement, evidencepreservation before prosecution, property attachment prior to lawsuit, etc)?
Where, generally, the rightholder or stakeholders have sufficient evidence to prove that others areimplementing an act of infringement upon the intellectual property right, whilelegitimate rights and interest thereof may suffer from any damage which is hardto make up for if application for preservation is not filed immediately in theemergency circumstances, application for ordering to stop the relevant act andtaking measures such as property attachment prior to lawsuit may be raised tothe judiciary authority before prosecution.
By “emergency circumstance”here, generally speaking, it refers to the following situations.
(1)Business secrets of the applicant are to be disclosed illegally; (2)Theintellectual property right filed in litigation is to be disposed illegally; (3)Theintellectual property right of the applicant is infringed or is to suffer frominfringement in the exhibition or other scenarios with relatively strongtimeliness; (4)Hot broadcasting programs with relatively strong timeliness are infringedor are to suffer from infringement; (5)Othercases where measures of preservation shall be taken immediately.
In practice, the judiciaryauthorities will also take into consider the factors such as whether theapplicant has greater possibility of winning a lawsuit and no damages to publicinterests if taking measures of preservation.
Of course, when raising theapplication, the applicant shall provide guarantee and file a lawsuit withinthirty (30) days upon the date when the court takes temporal measures.
