China Customs honored for IPR enforcement

China Customs received the 2007 Special Contribution Award for Cracking Down on Counterfeits and Piracies from the World Customs Organization (WCO) at its 109th/110th Council Session.  Michel Danet, Secretary General of the organization gave out the award to the delegation of China Customs to affirm the outstanding achievements Chinese customs agencies had made in fighting against IPR infringements.

 Since 2000, the number of such cases investigated by the customs agencies nationwide increases at an annual rate of 30%.  As of the end of the first quarter of 2007, more than 8,400 cases of infringement related to outbound and inbound goods were dealt with nationwide, with the estimated cargo value of over 1 billion yuan.  As of August 2007, a total of 5,332 enterprises had filed applications for recordation with the General Administration of the Customs of China for IPR protection, bringing the total to 11,352. 

The Quality Brands Protection Committee of the China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment rated the IPR enforcement by the Chinese customs impartial, transparent with proper measures and efficient.  In 2006, the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition issued the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Governmental Organization Award to the China Customs.  During the International Customs Day this year, the WCO granted 15 Chinese Customs officials the title Outstanding Law Enforcing Customs Official. (by Wei Xiaomao)

中国海关首获打击假冒和盗版成就奖

本报讯　（记者魏小毛北京报道）记者从海关总署获悉，在世界海关组织第109/110届年会上，中国海关以在打击侵犯知识产权方面所取得的突出成绩而荣获“世界海关组织2007年打击假冒和盗版成就奖”。世界海关组织秘书长达内向中国海关代表团颁奖。这是中国海关首次获得该奖。

据悉，2000年以来，中国海关每年查获的案件均以30%左右的幅度增长。截至2007年第一季度，全国海关共查获各类进出口侵权案件8400多起，案值超过10亿元人民币。截至2007年8月，已经有5332家企业向海关总署申请了知识产权海关保护备案，备案的知识产权达1.1352万件。

中国外商投资企业协会优质品牌保护委员会表示，中国海关知识产权保护工作公正透明、措施有力、效果显著。2006年，全球反假冒组织授予中国海关“全球反假冒年度政府机构嘉勉奖”。今年国际海关日期间，世界海关组织对15名从事知识产权保护的中国海关官员进行了表彰，授予他们“杰出执法关员”证书。