A Delegation of the National Intellectual Property Administration of the People's Republic of China (CNIPA) Visited Sakpatenti

A delegation of the National Intellectual Property Administration of the People's Republic of China (CNIPA) visited the Head Office of the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia – “Sakpatenti”.

A working meeting was held between the delegation members and Sakpatenti representatives, during which the parties discussed issues of cooperation between the offices, including the necessity to share information on the relevant laws, regulations, agencies involved in the registration process, examination policy and procedures, as well as policy and systems for protection of geographical indications. 

The meeting was attended on the Georgian side by: the Deputy Chairpersons of Sakpatenti, the Head of the Department of Trademarks, Geographical Indications and Design, the Head of the Administration Department, the Acting Head of the International Relations and Protocol Division, the Directors of the NNLE “oriGIgin Georgia” and the Imereti Wine Association, and on the Chinese side the meeting was attended by the Deputy Director General of the Intellectual Property Protection Department of CNIPA, the Director of the same Department’s Division of Geographical Indications and Official Symbols Protection, the Second-Rank Consultant of the same division, as well as the Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Division, Patent Examination Management Department, Patent Office of CNIPA.

Within the visit, a cultural and educational excursion was organized for the members of the delegation to “Chateau Mukhrani”, where various master classes on Georgian geographical indications were presented.

The visit of the delegation was preceded by the practice of result-oriented cooperation between the two offices. First, the parties first signed a Memorandum of Understanding on July 31, 2023, which provided for the exchange of qualifications between the two offices in the field of intellectual property, as well as cooperation on various strategic issues. Later, after a year, on September 12, 2024, in Beijing, the Letter of Intent was signed, in which the parties expressed their readiness to promote mutual understanding of the geographical indications protection systems of both sides, share development opportunities and geographical indications protection practices in areas of common concern for both Parties, including case studies and origin research.

In the course of cooperation between the offices of the two countries especially noteworthy was the first visit of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) to Georgia, which took place on October 14, 2024. Within the visit, Mr. Soso Giorgadze, Chairman Sakpatenti, along with Deputy Chairpersons, welcomed Dr. Shen Changyu, Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), and other senior officials of CNIPA.

It is noteworthy that the intensification of the Georgian-Chinese cooperation in the field of intellectual property protection facilitates deepening of the relations between the two countries as well as in the region, which  ultimately will support the development of the national economy.