On 12 October 2026 China's National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) issued Notice No. 692, placing 18 signs communicated by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under official-sign protection. The legal basis is Article 6ter of the Paris Convention and Article 10(1) of China's Trademark Law. The 18 signs are set out in two annexes: one for emblems, national flags and similar state signs, and one for the emblems, names and name abbreviations of intergovernmental organisations.
Three dates are easy to confuse and should be kept apart: the notice was released on 12 October 2026, but the document itself is dated 30 September 2026, while the signs were communicated by WIPO's International Bureau to CNIPA on 30 September 2025. Distinguish the release date, the signing date and the communication date, and do not merge the signing date of 30 September 2026 with the communication date of 30 September 2025.
This is not a change in the rules, but it matters for trademark practice. Once these 18 signs are under official-sign protection they fall within Article 10(1) of the Trademark Law; a trademark application containing elements identical or similar to these official signs may be refused on absolute grounds.
J&C recommends that brand owners and agents, before settling on a new trademark — especially one with emblem, flag or letter-abbreviation elements — raise their search sensitivity against the latest list of protected official signs, to avoid being held up at examination for identity or similarity with an official sign; where a sign is already in use or about to be filed and a possible conflict appears, adjust the design or filing strategy promptly and keep the search and decision records.
Source: www.cnipa.gov.cn
