Strengthening Olympic intellectual property right (IPR) protection will be a key part of Beijing's IPR campaign this year, a local government official said yesterday.

 

"We are fighting a decisive battle in 2007 to prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games," said Wang Lijun, deputy director of the Beijing municipal intellectual property bureau.

 

Wang made the remarks during the ongoing IPR Week 2007, which was launched last Friday in Beijing to observe World Intellectual Property Day tomorrow.

 

"To stamp out Olympic IPR infringements, we will focus on protecting Olympic trademarks, copyright and patents," Wang said.

 

A major element of the campaign is to boost public awareness of the protection of Olympic logos and images.

 

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad and the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce are working on an incentive system to reward city residents who report Olympic symbol infringements to the government.

 

The system will be released in the second quarter of this year and will target street vendors and small markets that illegally hawk products carrying the Olympic symbols.

 

The municipal government also aims to improve public awareness of the Beijing Service Center for IPR Protection this year.?

 

The center opened last June. It deals with IPR infringement complaints and ensures they are passed to the appropriate government departments.

 

It is one of 50 IPR centers across China. The public can also call 12312 for nationwide service.

 

Wang said Beijing has established a collaborative system with IPR protection authorities in other cities that will also host the Games.

 

The Beijing Municipal Copyright Bureau is also working on an electronic system to monitor online infringement of Olympic video and audio products.

 

(China Daily April 25, 2007)