中国首批重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决受关注

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　　"The CNIPA's (China National Intellectual Property Administration) first batch of patent enforcement rulings shows it's more than capable of handling technical cases,"  the UK-based Managing IP magazine leads with this sentence in an article of its August edition.

　　The article highlights some of the impacts on the IP community made by this new mission of the CNIPA. One of them is "The latest rulings also show the CNIPA won't shy away from industry issues. For example, the office settled a longstanding problem in the drug patent litigation space."

　　Since the CNIPA started hearing patent disputes with a significant nationwide effect on June 1, 2021, it has concluded the first batch of patent infringement cases within four months (not inclusive of staying time). "These rulings epitomize the efficiency of patent administrative protection, presenting fresh options for patentees and the general public to enforce their  lawful right and stop infringement in a timely fashion," says Zhang Zhicheng, director general of CNIPA's IP protection department.

　　Handling patent disputes more efficiently

　　The amended Chinese Patent Law came into effect on June 1, 2021. The newly-added Article 70.1 provides that the patent administrative department of the State Council may handle patent infringement disputes that have a significant nationwide impact at the request of the patentee or interested party, vesting a centralized power of handling major patent infringement disputes to CNIPA from the legislative level.

　　"Our office took execution of this authority very seriously and immediately formulated relevant norms and protocols with an aim to make full play of the quickness of administrative adjudication and our technical strength and eventually defend the right and interest of patentees in a timely manner, " says Zhang.

　　One of the major norm-setting tasks is drafting and implementation of the Measures for Administrative Adjudication of Major Patent Infringement Disputes. Even back during the days of the amendment of the patent law, the CNIPA researched intensively on building a specific system of trying patent infringement dispute while taking into account of previous experiences of local IP administrations. The Measures was then shaped and became effective on June 1, 2021.

　　Recently, the CNIPA handed out decision on two cases, both involving infringement of patent No.ZL201510299950.3, owned by the Germany-based Boehringer-Ingelheim. After deliberating on whether the cases were admissible as major patent disputes, whether the pharmaceuticals in question listed on the internet in multiple provinces (autonomous regions and/or municipalities) fell into on offer for sale or exception to infringement prescribed in the patent law, and some other central issues, CNIPA made a ruling within the required time limit.

　　"The trials of the first batch of cases brought attention to difficult problems in IP protection, wasted no time in making decisions that awarded remedies similar to injunctions. The CNIPA's technical background played no small part in accomplishing all these. It is safe to say the real efficiency shown by our administrative protection has made us popular universally," says Zhang.

　　Protecting innovations timely

　　Administrative adjudication of patent infringement disputes, as one of the major ways in patent administration protection, has been proven to be efficient, cheap and transparent in procedures. The resolution of these cases tests our established system and in return, gives fresh "samples" for refining the system.

　　According to Zhang, these case may have set templates in many aspects of hearing major patent disputes, like opening a case, oral hearing procedure, conditions for staying cases, enforcement and disclosure, which will certainly have a strong bearing on future trials of similar cases.

　　The high efficiency of trial and transparent procedure impresses the patentees involved. "At any stage of the trial, whether case-opening or hearing, the adjudicators emanated technical prowess and efficiency. The verdict orders the infringers to cease all infringing acts immediately, effective nationwide, which shows the meaningful strength of administrative rulings, defends us patentees' lawful right and regulates the market order."  comments a Boehringer-Ingelheim executive.

　　"In our planned next steps, with attention, precision and pursuit of excellence, we will resolve a series of cases that may become typical examples and spark interest, which will consequently deter infringing acts. In parallel, we have to upgrade our own skills in trying these cases, advocating the establishment of a system that brings technical investigation officers into play, improving checking and verification systems and ramping up technical support for trying these cases," at the end of the interview, Zhang looks into the future. "China will weave a tighter and sturdier IP protection network, advance inter-agency coordination, uphold a market order of fair competition and secure a climate for innovators and businesses to fly."(by Feng Fei)

　　“中国国家知识产权局作出的首批专利侵权纠纷行政裁决表明，他们能很好地处理技术类纠纷。”今年8月，英国《知识产权管理》杂志刊登了一篇关于中国如何处理在全国有重大影响的专利侵权纠纷的报道。

　　该报道总结了中国国家知识产权局处理专利侵权纠纷的新职能对知识产权界的影响。文章指出，中国国家知识产权局的最新裁决显示，其并不回避一些产业难题。例如，该局解决了医药专利诉讼中的一项长期未决的问题。

　　自2021年6月1日起，中国国家知识产权局开始处理在全国有重大影响的专利侵权纠纷，仅用不到4个月（不含中止期间）的时间便审结首批两件重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决案件。中国国家知识产权局知识产权保护司司长张志成表示：“首批裁决体现了专利行政保护的效率，为维护权利人和社会公众合法权益、及时制止侵权行为拓展了新渠道。”

　　更高效处理专利纠纷

　　2021年6月1日，修改后的中国专利法正式实施，新增的第七十条第一款规定了中国国务院专利行政部门可以应专利权人或者利害关系人的请求处理在全国有重大影响的专利侵权纠纷，在立法层面赋予中国国家知识产权局处理重大专利侵权纠纷的中央事权。

　　“我局对履行这一事权高度重视，认真研究，及时建章立制，形成工作机制，力求充分发挥行政裁决快速、专业的优势，及时有效维护权利人权益。”张志成表示。

　　建章立制的重要举措之一，便是《重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决办法》（下称《裁决办法》）的制定和施行。在中国专利法修改过程中，中国国家知识产权局就针对在全国有重大影响的专利侵权纠纷行政裁决的具体制度进行认真研究，结合地方知识产权局行政裁决实践经验，制定了《裁决办法》，并于2021年6月1日开始施行。

　　根据中国国家知识产权局公布的行政裁决书，此次审结的首批案件涉及两家企业是否侵犯勃林格殷格翰制药两合公司的发明专利权（专利号：ZL201510299950.3）。中国国家知识产权局围绕重大专利侵权纠纷案件的受理条件、被请求人在多个省（区、市）的药品挂网行为是否属于许诺销售、是否属于专利法规定的侵权例外情形等争议焦点进行了审理，在法定时限内作出了裁决。

　　“首批案件聚焦知识产权保护领域难点问题，高效作出裁决，责令被请求人停止侵权行为，充分发挥了中国国家知识产权局在专利保护方面的专业优势，体现了行政保护的效率，获得普遍认可。”张志成表示。

　　更及时保护创新成果

　　作为专利行政保护的重要方式之一，专利侵权纠纷行政裁决具有效率高、成本低、审理程序规范等特点。首批重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决案件的审结，进一步丰富了相关制度实践，为制度体系的建设完善提供了鲜活“样本”。

　　张志成表示，首批案件在重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决的立案程序、口头审理程序、中止条件、执行和公开等方面开展了扎实探索，做出了积极示范，对于后续类似案件的裁决具有一定参考价值。

　　首批案件的高效审理、程序规范给权利人留下了深刻印象。勃林格殷格翰制药两合公司有关负责人表示：“该案无论在立案还是办案环节，均体现了办案人员的高度专业性和高效率。裁决责令侵权人立即停止全部侵权行为，且在全国范围内具备执行力，充分体现了重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决的执法力度，为维护权利人合法权益、塑造公平的市场秩序提供了强有力的保障。”

　　“今后，我们将办实、办细、办好一批有典型性和影响力的重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决案件，有力震慑侵权违法行为；同时，切实提升行政裁决办案能力，持续推进技术调查官制度，完善检验鉴定机制，加强对重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决案件办理的技术支撑。”张志成表示，中国将织密、织牢知识产权保护网，推动与有关管理部门建立联动机制，切实维护公平竞争的良好市场秩序，为塑造良好的创新和营商环境提供有力保障。（冯飞）

（文章来源：中国知识产权报 原标题：中国首批重大专利侵权纠纷行政裁决受到外媒关注——拓展快速制止专利侵权行为新渠道）

（编辑：曹雅晖  责任编辑：吕可珂  审校：崔静思）

（中国知识产权报独家稿件，未经授权不得转载）