These days, most Western businesses look at doing business in China the way Charlie viewed Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory: full of wonderful delights, but also a little foreboding. In this analogy, the Golden Ticket is a Chinese Registration Certificate, which allows business to safely ship the products outside China with minimum risk of the products being held up at the border (and thereby, result in delays and revenue loss in the US during the holiday season).
In October 2021, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), announced that starting January 1, 2022, they would no longer be issuing paper certificates (there will not even be the ability to apply for a paper copy). From October 15 – December 31, 2021, there will be a transitional period in which both paper and electronic certificates will be issued.
So, how does the change in this “Golden Ticket” affect doing business in China? Well, think of this change as if someone was trying to re-make Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory for the Gen-Z generation: instead of a paper ticket, the children receive their Golden Tickets online or via a QR Code. The same concept applies here: the CNIPA will issue an e-certificate, which functionally replaces paper certificates. There is no change in the “Golden Ticket” status of the Registration Certificate – businesses will still be able to get their products across the Chinese Border or use the certificate to list products on Taobao or advertise on WeChat. Most importantly, businesses will still be able to apply for “registration proof” with a 3-day turnaround.
So, in conclusion, the “Golden Ticket” stays functionally the same, providing access to the ever-alluring Chocolate Factory that is doing business in China; and a forest (or two) is saved, which is always a win. Essentially, this is another trademark office’s attempt to catch up with technology and to save some trees and in our review, a reason to celebrate rather than to panic.
Written By: Amy Hsiao and Maddie Barnett
