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- Industry reported that as many as 200 vendors from Xiangyang have relocated to nearby Yatai and Qipu Road markets.
Retail and wholesale markets. Government officials have responded to concerns over widespread retail piracy and counterfeiting rates through increased actions:
- In addition to closing Xiangyang Market, police worked with Shanghai AIC to raid residences around the former market where infringing products were being sold.
- Shanghai administrative authorities have devised a strategy to proactively visit retail outlets (conducting 20,000 visits in the first half of 2006).
- Throughout anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting campaigns, industry surveys show that infringing goods remain widely available in Shanghai.
Administrative Enforcement:
- In 2005, according to Chinese statistics, Shanghai handled 1227 trademark cases, 57 patent cases, and 188 piracy cases. In 2006, Shanghai also established an IPR Complaint Center.
- The Shanghai IP Coordinating Office created the Yangtze River Delta Protection Network, which includes 24 cities in the area, to facilitate communication among administrative and enforcement officials on cases where rights holders and infringers are located in different provinces.
Internet.
- There has not been any reported instance of an Internet piracy case transferred for criminal prosecution in Shanghai.
- Local authorities have worked closely with the telecommunications industry to close down over 1,000 Internet sites to date that facilitated illegal downloads.
- A recording industry association reports that in 2006 Shanghai was among the top three hosts of ISPs that were sent notices for alleged hosting of infringing materials.
Criminal Enforcement: Although the number of IPR criminal case transfers in Shanghai continues to rise, this number remains much too low relative to the size of the local economy. Shanghai government should be commended for initiating a number of pilot programs to assist in better administrative-criminal coordination on IPR:
- Shanghai PSB launched a pilot program whereby it initiates criminal investigations based on "suspicious leads" rather than evidence of illegal activity. Industry commended the recently concluded successful case involving counterfeit pharmaceuticals in Shanghai that was initiated by Shanghai PSC based on a suspicious lead.
- Shanghai has also instituted a cross-agency, horizontal Case Monitoring System digital database that tracks IPR cases from initial raids to the transfer of information to the police and prosecutors, to judicial adjudication of a case.
Courts: According to Chinese statistics, Shanghai courts heard more IPR cases than either Zhejiang or Jiangsu counterparts in 2005.
- Industry commends the efficiency of many Shanghai courts. Cases there typically move quickly, with the courts awarding statutory damages if they find infringement.
- In 2006, Shanghai launched an IPR Judicial Certification Center to provide expert certification on technical IPR issues related to litigation and disputes.
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