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)