On April 9th, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China (CCIC), together with its Intellectual Property Working Group (IPWG), successfully hosted the seminar “Trademark Protection in China 2026 – Latest Trends and Reforms” with around 40 participants joining the event both offline in Beijing and online.
The seminar brought together institutional representatives and industry experts to discuss the latest developments in China’s trademark landscape, with a special focus on the amendment to the Trademark Law.
Event highlights:
The session was moderated by Raffaello Girotto, Legal Attaché at the Embassy of Italy to the P.R.C. and opened with welcome remarks by Federica Viggiani, Deputy Secretary General and Beijing Office Manager at the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China, who highlighted the growing strategic importance of trademark protection for companies operating in China and the need for businesses to adapt to an increasingly sophisticated and enforcement-driven IP environment, and Davide Follador, Counsellor for IP, investment and market access at the EU Delegation to China. During his intervention, Follador shared key data and statistics on trademark protection for EU companies and provided insights into the EU Delegation’s perspective on the draft amendment to the Trademark Law.
Christopher Shen, Vice President of the China Trademark Association, provided an overview of the legislative evolution and highlighted the key objectives of the reform, including stronger measures against bad-faith registrations, stricter use requirements, and ongoing efforts by Chinese authorities to improve enforcement.
Jane Chen, Trademark Attorney at Kangxin Partners, presented the main changes introduced in in the 5th revision draft of China Trademark Law such as shorter opposition timelines, new mechanisms like ex officio cancellation of unused trademarks, and expanded protection to emerging elements like dynamic signs. She also shared practical strategies for foreign companies, emphasizing the importance of proactive filing, evidence collection, and portfolio management.
Fabio Giacopello, Coordinator of the CCIC IP Working Group and Managing Partner at Allasya Law & IP offered insights into current trademark practice in China, noting the continued high volume of filings, stricter examination standards, and the persistence of bad-faith registrations. He also highlighted increasing enforcement efforts, rising damages, and the growing sophistication of both litigation and administrative actions.
The seminar concluded with a Q&A session, providing participants with the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers on key challenges and strategies in China’s evolving trademark landscape.
If you are a CCIC Members and want to suggest a topic for the next event, please contact us at bj.events@cameraitacina.com
