China will shortly issue a new plan to protect the logo of the
2008 Beijing Olympic Games, said a senior trademark official in
Beijing on Tuesday.
China has been working on a complete set of schemes to protect
Olympic intellectual property rights (IPR), said Zhao Gang, deputy
head of the trademark department under the State Administration for
Industry and Commerce, at a press conference.
"We will soon issue a new plan to prevent infringements of the
Olympic logo," Zhao said, providing no details about the plan.
"During the 2008 Olympic Games, we will launch effective
measures to ensure that this great sports event is as free as
possible of any IPR violations," he said.
The emblem, motto and mascots of the Olympic Games are at the
core of Olympic IPR protection work.
The State Council and Beijing Municipal government have
promulgated a series of ordinances on Olympic IPR protection,
including the Regulations for Protection of Olympic Symbols and the
Beijing Provisions for Protection of Olympic Intellectual Property
Rights.
However, counterfeit mascots and coins bearing the 2008 Olympic
logo have been found on the market. Local customs have detected and
seized children's clothing and school bags intended for export with
illegal images of the 2008 Olympic mascots.
To stamp out Olympic IPR infringements, the Beijing Organizing
Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) has helped authorities
establish a special IPR registration and management system,
promoted IPR education among the public and stepped up policing
efforts.
(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2007)