November 2017

By Shi Bisheng King & Wood Mallesons’ IP group.

On 4 November 2017, the 30th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Twelfth National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China passed an amendment to the Anti-Unfair Competition Law of the People’s Republic of China (“Anti-Unfair Competition Law”), which will come into effect on 1 January 2018. This is the first major amendment to the Anti-Unfair Competition Law since its implementation in 1993, and it will have a significant impact on businesses in China. 
Continue Reading Amendment to China’s Anti-Unfair Competition Law

By Stanley Zhou and Andrew Fei King & Wood Mallesons’ Finance & Capital Markets group

The Chinese government has announced that it will ease or remove restrictions on foreign ownership of Chinese securities and futures firms, fund managers, commercial banks, financial asset managers, life insurers and certain other financial institutions.  Subject to certain transition periods, these changes will allow foreign investors to own a majority and eventually a 100% stake in many types of Chinese financial institutions.  The announcement therefore represents one of the most significant steps China has taken to further open up the financial sector in the world’s 2nd largest economy. 
Continue Reading China Eases Restrictions on Foreign Ownership of Chinese FIs

作者：叶永青 赵文祥 金杜律师事务所商务合规部

工作中时常会碰到客户的询问，“这个（涉税）事情我们不说，税务机关怎么会知道？我如果不披露，是不是就不用交税了？”客户有这样的想法不奇怪。不少纳税人朴素地将一个交易/事项的纳税义务等同于薛定谔的猫，即是否缴税等同于判断税务机关能否完整地知悉和了解相关交易。虽然他们也理解，纳税义务的产生是基于法律的规定，而非税务机关。但是对于既有征管实践地惯常理解，使得这些纳税人持有上述观点。 
Continue Reading 为什么不爱护员工的公司不是好公司？——谈税务举报的风险与防范

By Richard Bartlett King & Wood Mallesons’ Finance & Capital Markets group

The Chinese market, while similar or identical in many aspects to other markets, is also unique in certain respects.  Sometimes these differences are obvious but sometimes they are not. Whether you are entering the China market for the first time or growing your existing business, it can be crucial to be able to identify and manage these differences, many of which may not be immediately apparent.

相较全球市场，中国市场是存在一些特质的。个别情况下，这些特质较为突显。不管是初来乍到还是在中国市场已打下些许基础，熟稔并懂得利用这些特质来为我所用，尤为关键。而这些特质，有的显而易见，有的则不易察觉。 
Continue Reading A Lawyer’s Guide to Working in China

作者：吴青 张帆 金杜律师事务所商务合规部

舍弗勒事件敲响了企业供应链环保法律风险问题的警钟

2017年9月，世界500强企业、德国著名轴承品牌舍弗勒大中华区CEO致函上海市经济和信息化委员会等部门，称其目前唯一的滚针原材料供应商“上海界龙金属拉丝厂”因环保问题被断电停产，使得舍弗勒面临供货缺口。由于舍弗勒的客户遍及中国所有的汽车生产厂商，这次供货缺口理论上将造成中国汽车300多万辆的减产，相当于3000亿元的产值损失。舍弗勒希望政府为其供应商上海界龙的环保事宜网开一面，宽限3个月，以免因滚针断供而造成更大损失。
Continue Reading 如何成为环保“领跑者”——企业应如何防范供应链环保法律风险？

作者：金杜律师事务所

2017年11月9日，在国际知名出版机构欧洲货币（Euromoney）法律媒体集团举办的“2017年度亚洲商业法律杰出女律师奖”颁奖典礼上，金杜律师事务所斩获“年度最佳国际律师事务所中国业务奖”及两项个人奖项：徐萍律师（公司并购业务资深合伙人）荣膺“年度杰出女律师”大奖，陈已昕律师（金融资本业务合伙人）荣膺“资本市场领域杰出女律师”大奖。Euromoney年度区域性奖项赞扬亚洲律师界女性地位的提升，并认可该区域的律所在性别均衡化、创新、工作与生活平衡、公益及人才管理方面的积极贡献。作为杰出女性律师的代表，金杜两位女合伙人凭借在各自领域卓越的表现和广泛的行业及客户认可为金杜赢得该机构的两项个人荣誉。
Continue Reading 金杜律师徐萍和陈已昕荣获Euromoney “2017年度亚洲商业法律杰出女律师”大奖

作者：金杜律师事务所

近日，福特汽车公司（简称“福特汽车”）与众泰达成合资协议，组建全新合资公司——众泰福特汽车有限公司，双方在合资公司中各持50%股份，投资总额为50亿元人民币。新合资公司将打造一系列采用合资公司自主品牌的经济型纯电动乘用车产品。此次福特汽车与众泰汽车的组合备受业界关注，成为跨国车企与本土车企合作布局国内新能源汽车市场的又一“力作”。
Continue Reading 金杜协助福特汽车与众泰在华组建合资公司，全力进军新能源汽车市场

By Lin Jiuchu, Zhang Jiaqi and Xu Huiwen King & Wood Mallesons’ IP group

Case profile

On 10 June 2015, ROYER BRANDS INTERNATIONAL S.A.R.L. (“Royer”) filed an application with the PRC Trademark Office (“CTMO”) to register trademark No. 17165853 “ ” for designated goods in Class 18, which includes items such as backpacks, wallets, purses, leather belts, umbrellas, parasols and walking sticks.

The CTMO refused the application on the grounds that “Dutch” means “of the Netherlands” (“荷兰” in Chinese). Names of foreign countries are not permitted to use as trademarks under Chinese law. Royer appealed the CTMO’s decision with the Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (“TRAB”). Citing Article 10.1.2 of the PRC Trademark Law, TRAB agreed with the CTMO’s decision.

Royer then initiated administrative litigation. After hearing the case, the Beijing Intellectual Property Court (“Beijing IP Court”) found in favor of Royer and overturned the decision of TRAB. 
Continue Reading A Case Study of VON DUTCH

作者：林久初  张家绮  徐慧雯 金杜律师事务所知识产权部

案情简介

2015年6月10日，罗尔品牌国际有限公司（下称“罗尔公司”）向中国商标局申请注册第17165853号商标“ ”，指定使用商品为第18类背包，钱包（钱夹），皮质带子，伞，手杖等。

商标局经审查，以“DUTCH”译为“荷兰”为外国国名，不得作为商标使用驳回了该商标的注册申请。罗尔公司不服，向商标评审委员会（下称“商评委”）提出复审申请。商评委经审查，亦以“申请商标中的DUTCH与荷兰国名近似，申请商标已构成《商标法》第十条第一款第（二）项所指的不得作为商标使用的情形”为由，驳回了本案商标的注册申请。

罗尔公司对以上决定均不服，提起行政诉讼。北京知识产权法院经审理，支持了罗尔公司的全部诉讼请求，判决撤销商评委的决定。
Continue Reading 从VON DUTCH案件看含有外国国家名称的商标注册

By Huang Jianwen King & Wood Mallesons’ Commercial & Regulatory group

In order to deepen the reform in the field of drugs, the China Food and Drug Administration (“CFDA”) issued the Drugs Administration Law (Draft for Consultation) (“Draft”) on 23 October 2017. The Draft incorporates and reflects material contents in the reform of drugs field in recent years, including fully implementing the Marketing Authorization Holder (“MAH”) system, cancelling certificates of Good Manufacturing Practice (“GMP”) and Good Supply Practice (“GSP”), carrying out records management for clinical trial institution and emphasizing legal liabilities on relevant entities in drug research and trial.
Continue Reading Analysis on the Drugs Administration Law (Draft for Consultation)