Existing incentive policy
Local governments at all levels give cash rewards ranging from 654.38+10,000 yuan to 1 10,000 yuan for obtaining geographical indications. How to spend this money? After checking several local documents, there are no specific provisions, which can be understood as being freely controlled by the applicant for geographical indications (possibly associations, government agencies or institutions).
Associations basically return to the folk nature, and there are few other sources of funds. The association established to apply for geographical indications has not received membership fees, and it is difficult to operate without financial support. Many such associations exist in name only, so that the trademarks of geographical indications have not been renewed. Geographical indication applicants are mostly in county towns, and their wages and daily expenses are relatively small, and hundreds of thousands can last for several years.
Some places have provided huge funds to support the development of geographical indication industry, and a provincial finance has given support of100000 yuan to 40 million yuan to nine geographical indication products respectively. How to spend 40 million? According to media reports, first, a press conference was held in the most luxurious hotel in the provincial capital, and then well-known institutions were hired to do regional brand planning, advertisements were placed in TV stations and media at all levels, and huge brands were set up at railway stations and high-speed exits to promote geographical indications ... What achievements did the money spend on? It's hard to evaluate. During the visit, I also heard some complaints. I gave a gorgeous but difficult-to-implement planning book, put up a huge billboard on the car, and millions were gone. What's the use of this money?
Characteristics of geographical indication management
Geographical indications management has a starting point, that is, special geographical indications. According to my investigation in the market, compared with green food signs and organic product certification signs, the utilization rate of geographical indications is obviously too low. Brand promotion is to let consumers know that it is futile to do more advertisements and not see them in the market. The simplest and cheapest way to promote special signs is to use them. If all geographical indications and every licensed unit use this special sign, this special sign will spread all over the market and consumers can see it. Special signs are often used in product packaging or product labels. Printing special marks on the original packaging and product labels does not increase the cost.
Draw lessons from the "standard implementation" model
Geographical indications system was introduced late, and not many people paid attention to it. The main management body of geographical indications is generally non-governmental organizations, and more than 90% of geographical indications belong to agricultural products. To manage geographical indications well, you need to know about intellectual property, agriculture and the operation of associations ... it's hard to find such managers.
China National Intellectual Property Administration has been carrying out the "implementation of standards" for many years, and has formulated a series of supporting systems, and various localities have given awards ranging from100000 yuan to several hundred thousand yuan to enterprises that have implemented standards. Here, I don't comment on the reward policy of "standard implementation". The author thinks that local governments can introduce the mode of "standard implementation" into the management of geographical indications. Complex enterprise intellectual property management can be standardized, and simple geographical indication management standardization is much easier.
Drawing lessons from the practice of "implementing standards", the government subsidizes geographical indication managers to hire professional institutions to help formulate management systems and guide their operation for a period of time. Incorporating the use of special signs into management norms and giving corresponding funding, China National Intellectual Property Administration cancelled the original quality inspection and the original industrial and commercial special signs, and introduced new special signs to promote the use of new signs.
summary
The author thinks that there is still a lot of room to excavate geographical indications in China, and local governments can continue to fund applications. The provinces handed over geographical indications to the Intellectual Property Protection Coordination Office of the Market Supervision Bureau for centralized management. In view of this, it is suggested to learn from China National Intellectual Property Administration's policy of "implementing standards" and reward the formulation of geographical indication management standards and the use of special signs.
The provincial and municipal intellectual property offices have become familiar with the business of "implementing standards", encouraging geographical indications to "implement standards" and subsidizing the use of special signs, which is far cheaper than advertising fees. Management performance is easy to evaluate, and the use of special signs can be quantified. The performance of these two jobs is very good.
February 2020