Following a bilateral meeting in Vienna in July 2025, APO President Stefan Harasek and CNIPA Commissioner Shen Changyu signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding for the next five years on July 8, 2026, in Geneva. The agreement significantly deepens cooperation, particularly on an exchange of knowledge and experience on intellectual property rights and on the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH). Users in both countries will benefit directly from this strategic partnership: it promotes mutual understanding of the respective intellectual property systems and facilitates efficient protection of innovations for both Austrian and Chinese companies in each other's markets.
Austria and China renew cooperation in the field of intellectual property
A strong signal for international cooperation: The Austrian Patent Office (APO) and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their bilateral partnership.