On 1 July 2020, the International Commercial Intellectual Property Co-Mediation Rules, a set of co-mediation rules for settling IP disputes concerning trademarks and designs between China and the European Union, have come into force.

 

The said rules, jointly developed by the Shanghai Commercial Mediation Center (SCMC) and the Boards of Appeal of European Union Intellectual Property Office (BoA EUIPO) over the past two years, set forth such details as the scope of application, mediation procedures, the choice of mediators, and the cost of mediation. Together with such supporting documents as the Co-Mediation Agreement, the Confidentiality Statement, and the Statement of Co-Mediators, the rules contribute to form a standardised co-mediation mechanism for IP resolution between China and Europe.

 

SCMC is an independent third party commercial mediation institution founded in Shanghai, China in 2011, and EUIPO BoA is an independent decision-making body within the EUIPO that adjudicates appeals against first-instance decisions taken by EUIPO concerning EU trademarks and registered Community designs.