EU-CHINA CO-OPERATION IN PRACTICE: The year ahead for IPR2

1. EU-CHINA CO-OPERATION IN PRACTICE: The year ahead for IPR2 Ms Tamryn Barker, IPR2 Public Affairs Officer

2. IPR2 VISIBILITY STRATEGY (i) Overall objectives: • To ensure consistent flow of information and targeted dissemination of results to stakeholders. • To contribute to the effectiveness of the project (more awareness reinforces political support and attracts higher quality technical expertise to project activities).

3. IPR2 VISIBILITY STRATEGY (ii) Specific objectives: • Provide timely delivery of results: keeping stakeholders systematically well informed. • Maximise use of information delivery channels: close co-operation with the EC Delegation, EUCCC, the IPR Working Group and other IPR initiatives . • Easily accessible information and activity documentation: freely available on the web site (presentations, speeches, training materials, guidelines etc). • Equally address both Chinese and European stakeholders: provision of bi-lingual information.

4. IPR2 VISIBILITY STRATEGY (iii) Expected results: • Trusting relationship between project and stakeholders, ideas solicited, proposals generated and continuing contribution of high-level expertise to project activities. • Positioning of project as the EU’s most reliable and visible reference for what is happening on-the-ground on IPR in China. • Reinforcement of EC’s, EPO, Member States’ and OHIM’s credibility and commitment in addressing IPR in a priority country (China). • Consistent messaging and orientation that univocally support's the EC's cooperativeapproach in IP. • Visibility actions/tools • The primary information tool is the Project web site, www.ipr2.org, and for the most part, around which communication activities will be centred. These include, but are not restricted to: • eNEws issued in html format to general stakeholder base, to commence at the start of this OWP (April 2008). • Newsletter (‘IPR2 Brief’) issued quarterly in electronic format to general stakeholder base and printed for specific-stakeholders (e.g. beneficiaries, EUCCC, EC Delegation, China IPR SME Helpdesk), to commence at the end of the 2Q of implementation of this OWP (June 2008). • Brief Activity Reports, summarising key results immediately after each activity. To be distributed to specific-interest stakeholders. • Press release issued prior to each event to special interest media/industry. • High-profile symposia on IP enforcement strategy, where possible held alongside a major event (e.g. EU-China Business Summit). • Maximising use of STE by arranging presentations to different audiences beyond their specific Project assignment. • Project and issue-based news items for magazines, newspaper columns and television. • Shared media, visibility and information opportunities in China and Europe with MS, China SME IPR Helpdesk, EC Delegation, EU-China Trade Project. This would range from contributing regular short briefings to MS via the Delegation’s meetings with the MS Trade Counsellors to using the annual national China IPR Week to raise the profile of the Project to the wider IPR-interest groups. • Information activities will concentrate to a lesser degree on directly targeting SMEs in Europe. Rather, useful tools will be disseminated through the China SME IPR Helpdesk which is specifically tasked with providing information services to this audience. • Chinese SMEs will be targeted through cooperation with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and under its umbrella, the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC). • Because of the difference in reporting on IPR issues between Europe and China, maintaining regular and open contact with Chinese and European journalists is key. A feature of the web site will be a ‘Newsroom’ where media can access the latest press releases, robust Q&A, photos etc. This aims to distinguish the potential positive and long-term impact of the Project’s practical approach from the political dialogue. • In addition, a Document Centre will be developed on the web site as a repository of key project outputs and publications (guidelines, compendiums, case studies, technical compilations, feature films etc) that will exist beyond the completion date of the project (enduring link from EC Delegation’s web site). • The project web site will establish links with the Internet pages of the Beneficiaries. • http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/visibility/index_en.htm

5. KEY MESSAGES (i) Relay messages via stakeholder networks: • IPR2 is an EU-China partnership project: both sides prioritise IPR enforcement in the context of the trade relationship. • IPR2 is the EU’s primary technical assistance project for IPR, works alongside other IPR initiatives for greater impact. • IPR2 provides a comprehensive framework of technical assistance to target the reliability, efficiency and accessibility of the IP protection system, to establish a sustainable environment for effective IPR enforcement in China. • IPR2 is preparing the ground for long- term and sustainable progress on IPR in China.

6. KEY MESSAGES (ii) Relay messages via stakeholder networks: • Europe is committed to efforts to strengthen China’s environment for innovation. • Improvements in the effectiveness of enforcement of IPRs are expected but acknowledged that qualitatively will be difficult to determine. • IPR2 aims to drive a more open exchange of information and knowledge on IP systems between Europe and China. • IPR2 aims to benefit both European and Chinese companies. The current level of IPR enforcement in China does not help European nor Chinese industry.

7. IPR2 STAKEHOLDERS (i) Europe & China: • Chinese Beneficiaries (IP authorities: policy- and decision-makers at central and provincial level) • EC Delegation to China • European Commission (DG TRADE, RELEX, AIDCO, ENTR, MARKT, TAXUD, OLAF, COMP, AGRI, INFSO) • Member State (IP) authorities and OHIM • EU Member State embassies in Beijing (Trade Counsellors) and other donors (US, Japan) • Representatives and networks of industry in Europe and China • Industry (right holders) in Europe & China

8. IPR2 STAKEHOLDERS (ii) Europe & China: • EU Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC) • IPR Working Group in China • European and Chinese news media (specialist and general) including newspapers, technical journals, IP journals, web sites etc. • Wider community, including consumer groups, non-governmental organisations and associations (e.g. student law groups, bar chambers, police and customs’ schools, chambers of commerce, industry associations).

9. IPR2 COMMUNICATION TOOLS (i) • Primary information tool is the IPR2 (bilingual) web site www.ipr2.org (Members login, Document Centre, Newsroom). • Monthly eNEws to general stakeholder base (to commence at the start of AWP). • Newsletter (‘IPR2 Brief’) issued quarterly by email to general stakeholder base (to commence at the end of the 2Q 2008). • Brief Activity Reports, key results for each activity for specific-interest stakeholders.

10. IPR2 COMMUNICATION TOOLS (ii) • High-profile symposia on IP issues for general stakeholder base (eg. enforcement strategy) where possible held alongside a major event (e.g. EU-China Business Summit). • STE to build into their assignment presentations to different audiences beyond their specific task. • Shared media, visibility and information opportunities in China and Europe with MS, China SME IPR Helpdesk, EC Delegation, EU-China Trade Project etc.

11. OTHER IPR INITIATIVES China IPR SME Helpdesk: • IPR2 co-operates closely with this new DG Enterprise & Industry initiative. • Aims to support European SMEs with free information, training and first-line advice about protecting and enforcing their intellectual property rights in China. • European SMEs or SME representative bodies are encouraged to contact the Helpdesk directly: • www.china-IPRhelpdesk.eu • enquiries@china-IPRhelpdesk.eu

12. ROADMAPS FOR COMPANIES • Aims to provide European and Chinese companies with up-to-date information on how to protect their intellectual capital in Europe and in China.

13. IPR2 OFFICE Open to visitors: C1505, Yonghe Plaza No. 28, An Ding Men Dong Da Jie Dongcheng District, Beijing CHINA 100007 Tel: +86 10 8400 0756 I Fax: +86 10 6409 7984 Email: info@ipr2.org I Web: www.ipr2.org • Meet with the Project long-term experts • Carlo Pandolfi (Team Leader), Andreas Obst, Benoit Misonne • Office as a meeting point when in China for IPR-related issues.