LAWS AND REGULATIONS

(Promulgated by Order No. 6 of the State Administration for Market Regulation on April 4, 2019)

　　Chapter I General provisions

Article 1 These Measures are formulated in accordance with the Patent Law of the People's Republic of China, the Regulations on Patent Agency and other relevant laws and administrative regulations in order to regulate the conduct of patent agency, protect the legitimate rights and interests of the client, patent agency offices and patent agents, maintain the normal order of the patent agency industry and promote the healthy development of the patent agency industry.

Article 2 The State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall administer and supervise patent agencies and patent agents according to law.

Article 3 The State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall, in accordance with the principles of fairness, fairness, openness, order, transparency and efficiency, inspect and supervise the practice of patent agencies.

Article 4 Patent agencies and patent agents may establish and participate in national or local patent agency trade organizations according to law. The patent agency trade organization is a social organization and a self-regulatory organization of patent agents.

Patent agency industry organizations shall formulate self-regulatory norms for patent agency industry, which shall not conflict with laws, administrative regulations and departmental rules. Patent agencies and patent agents shall abide by the self-regulatory norms of the industry.

Article 5 Patent agencies and patent agents shall abide by laws, administrative regulations and these Measures, abide by professional ethics and practice discipline, be honest and trustworthy, standardize practice, improve the quality of patent agency, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the client and the normal order of the patent agency industry.

Article 6 The State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may, in light of the actual situation, support and guide patent agencies in providing patent agency assistance services to small and micro enterprises and to inventors and designers with no income or low income by formulating policies, establishing mechanisms and other measures.

Encourage patent agency industry organizations and patent agencies to use their own resources to carry out patent agency assistance work.

Article 7 The State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative departments for patent work of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central government shall strengthen the construction of e-government and the publication of public information for patent agencies, optimize the patent agency management system, and facilitate patent agencies, patent agents and the public to handle affairs and inquire information.

Article 8 No entity or individual may, without permission, apply for a patent or declare a patent right invalid or any other business.

Chapter II Patent Agency

Article 9 The organizational form of a patent agency shall be a partnership, limited liability company, etc. The partners and shareholders shall be Chinese citizens.

Article 10 Where a patent agency in the form of a partnership enterprise applies for a practice license, it shall meet the following conditions:

(1) Having the name of a patent agency that complies with the provisions of laws, administrative regulations and Article 14 of these Measures;

(2) There is a written partnership agreement;

(3) Having an independent place of business;

(4) Having two or more partners;

(5) The partner has the patent agent qualification certificate, and has more than two years of patent agent practice experience.

Article 11 Where a patent agency in the form of a limited liability company applies for a practice license, it shall meet the following conditions:

(1) Having the name of a patent agency that complies with the provisions of laws, administrative regulations and Article 14 of these Measures;

(2) Having written articles of association;

(3) Having an independent place of business;

(4) Having five or more shareholders;

(5) More than four-fifths of the shareholders and the legal representative of the company have the patent agent qualification certificate, and have more than two years of patent agent practice experience.

Article 12 A law firm applying for a practice license shall meet the following conditions:

(1) Having an independent place of business;

(2) Two or more partners or full-time lawyers have the patent agent qualification certificate.

Article 13  shall not be a partner or shareholder of a patent agency under any of the following circumstances:

(1) It does not have full capacity for civil conduct;

(2) Having received criminal punishment for intentional crimes;

(3) Cannot work full-time in a patent agency;

(4) The patent agency is dissolved or its practice license is revoked or revoked, and it fails to properly handle various pending patent agency business.

Where a patent agency obtains a practice license by cheating, bribery or other improper means and is revoked or revoked according to law, its partners, shareholders or legal representatives shall not become new partners, shareholders or legal representatives in the patent agency within three years from the date of the penalty decision.

Article 14 A patent agency may use only one name. In addition to law firms, the name of a patent agency shall contain the words "patent agency" or "intellectual property agency". The name of a branch of a patent agency shall consist of the full name of the patent agency, the name of the city or region where the branch is located, and "branch office" or "branch office".

The name of a patent agency shall not be the same or similar to the name of a patent agency that is in use or has been used throughout the country.

Where a law firm applies for a practice license, the name of the law firm may be used.

Article 15 Anyone applying for a patent agency's practice license shall submit an application and the following application materials to the State Intellectual Property Office through the patent agency administration system:

(1) A patent agency in the form of a partnership shall submit a business license, partnership agreement and scanned copies of the partner's identity documents;

(2) A patent agency in the form of a limited liability company shall submit the business license, the articles of association and the scanned copy of the shareholder's identity card;

(3) A law firm shall submit a law firm's practice license and scanned copies of the identity documents of partners and full-time lawyers with patent agent qualification certificates.

The applicant shall be responsible for the authenticity of the substance of the application materials. When necessary, the State Intellectual Property Office may require the applicant to provide the original for verification. Except as otherwise provided by laws, administrative regulations and decisions of The State Council.

Article 16 Where the application materials do not conform to the provisions of Article 15 of these Measures, the State Intellectual Property Office shall notify the applicant of all the contents that need to be corrected within five days from the date of receipt of the application materials, and if it fails to notify the applicant within the time limit, it shall be deemed accepted from the date of receipt of the application materials; Where the application materials are complete and conform to the statutory form, or the applicant submits all the supplementary and corrected application materials as required, the application shall be accepted. If the application is accepted or rejected, the applicant shall be notified in writing and the reasons shall be explained.

The State Intellectual Property Office shall, within 10 days from the date of acceptance, examine the application, approve the application if it meets the prescribed conditions, and issue the patent agency license to the applicant; If the applicant does not meet the prescribed conditions, the approval shall not be granted, and the applicant shall be notified in writing and the reasons shall be explained.

Article 17 Where the name, place of business, partnership agreement or articles of association of the company, partner or executive partner, shareholder or legal representative of the patent agency changes, it shall apply to the State Intellectual Property Office for the change of the enterprise within 30 days from the date of registration; Where a law firm has a partner or full-time lawyer with a patent agent qualification certificate and other matters change, it shall, within 30 days of approval by the judicial administrative department, apply to the State Intellectual Property Office to go through the formalities for the change.

The State Intellectual Property Office shall, within 10 days from the date of acceptance of the application, make a corresponding decision to modify the matters that conform to the provisions of these Measures.

Article 18 The information registered by a patent agency with the State Intellectual Property Office shall be consistent with the information registered with the market supervision and administration department or the judicial administrative department.

Article 19 Where a patent agency is disbanded or ceases to handle patent agency business, it shall, after properly handling various outstanding business, go through the formalities of cancelling the practice license of the patent agency with the State Intellectual Property Office.

Where a patent agency cancels its business license, or its business license or practice license is revoked or revoked, it shall notify the client to rescind the contract of entrustment 30 days before the cancellation of the business license or within 30 days after receiving the notice of revocation or revocation, properly handle the unfinished business, and go through the formalities of cancelling the practice license of the patent agency to the State Intellectual Property Office. Where all patent agency business is not properly handled, the partners and shareholders of the patent agency shall not handle the change of patent agent practice for filing.

Article 20 Where a patent agency establishes a branch office to handle patent agency business, it shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Handling patent agency business for at least two years;

(2) There are more than ten patent agents to practice, the proposed branch shall have more than one patent agent to practice, and the head of the branch shall have the patent agent qualification certificate;

(3) The patent agent shall not be in charge of more than two branches at the same time;

(4) No administrative punishment for patent agency within three years before the establishment of the branch;

(5) When the branch is established, it is not included in the abnormal business list or the list of serious violations of law and dishonesty.

Article 21 No branch of a patent agency may handle patent agency business in its own name. A patent agency shall bear legal responsibility for the practice activities of its branches.

Article 22 Where a patent agency establishes, changes or cancellations a branch, it shall, within 30 days from the date of completing the relevant enterprise or judicial registration formalities of the branch, file with the patent administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where the branch is located through the patent agency administration system.

The filing form shall be filled in and the following materials shall be uploaded:

(1) If a branch is established, upload the scanning copy of the business license of the branch or the practice license of the branch of the law firm;

(2) To change the registration of the branch, upload the branch business license or the scanning copy of the law firm branch practice license after the change;

(3) Where the branch is deregistered, the instructions for properly handling various matters shall be uploaded.

Article 23 Patent agencies shall establish and improve practice management systems such as quality management, conflict of interest examination, complaint handling, annual assessment, as well as personnel management, financial management, file management and other operational systems, and supervise the observance of professional ethics and practice discipline by patent agents in practice activities.

The shareholder of a patent agency shall abide by the relevant provisions of the State, abide by the professional ethics and practice discipline of patent agency, and maintain the normal order of the patent agency industry.

Article 24 Where patent agencies advertise and undertake patent agency business through Internet platforms, they shall comply with the relevant provisions of the E-commerce Law of the People's Republic of China.

The patent agency mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall continue to publicize in a prominent place on the home page and timely update the patent agency practice license and other information.

Chapter III Patent Agents

Article 25 A patent agency shall, in accordance with the law, conclude a labor contract with the patent agent it employs on a voluntary and consensual basis. A patent agent shall be assigned by a patent agency to undertake patent agency business, and shall not accept the commission on his own.

Article 26 The practice of patent agents shall meet the following conditions:

(1) Having full capacity for civil conduct;

(2) Obtain the patent agent qualification certificate;

(3) Have worked as an intern in a patent agency for at least one year, except for persons with experience as a lawyer or more than three years of experience in patent examination;

(4) Acting as a partner or shareholder in a patent agency, or signing a labor contract with a patent agency;

(5) Be able to engage in patent agency business full-time.

The date on which all the conditions listed in the preceding paragraph are met shall be the date of practice.

Article 27 When practicing patent agency business, patent agency interns shall accept the guidance of patent agency.

Article 28 Where a patent agent practices for the first time, he shall, within 30 days from the date of practice, file his practice with the patent administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government of the place where the patent agency is located through the patent agency administration system.

The filing form shall be filled in and the following materials shall be uploaded:

(1) Scanned copy of my identity document;

(2) Labor contracts signed with patent agencies;

(3) Internship evaluation materials.

Patent agents shall be responsible for the authenticity of the substance of their filing materials. Where necessary, the administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government may require the original to be provided for verification.

Article 29 Where a patent agent departs from a patent agency, he shall properly handle the business transfer procedures, and within 30 days from the date of his demission, he shall submit the dismissal certificate to the patent administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where the patent agency is located through the patent agency administration system, and conduct the practice filing change.

Where a patent agent changes to a practicing patent agency, it shall, within 30 days from the date of the change in practice, file a change in practice and upload the labor contract signed with the patent agency or the certificate of being a shareholder or partner.

Failure to change the registration of practice within the prescribed time, shall be deemed to have failed to take the initiative to fulfill the registration formalities within the prescribed time limit, and the administrative department for patent work of the people's government of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government may make the change after verification.

Chapter IV Patent agency industry organizations

Article 30 Patent agency industry organizations shall strictly self-discipline in the industry, organize and guide patent agencies and patent agents to practice according to law and norms, and continuously improve the service level of the industry.

Article 31 The State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State, supervise and administer the patent agency trade organizations.

Article 32 Patent agency trade organizations shall perform the following duties according to law:

(1) Safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of patent agencies and patent agents;

(2) Formulate industry self-discipline norms, strengthen industry self-discipline, implement assessment, reward and punishment of members, and timely publish the information of members it has absorbed and the punishment of members to the society;

(3) Organize patent agencies and patent agents to carry out patent agency assistance services;

(4) Organize internship training and professional training for patent agents, as well as professional ethics and professional discipline education;

(5) Recommending patent agents as agents AD litem in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State;

(6) To guide patent agencies to improve the management system and improve the quality of patent agency service;

(7) To guide patent agencies to carry out internship work;

(8) To carry out international exchanges in the patent agency industry;

(9) Other duties to be performed according to law.

Article 33 The patent agency trade organization shall establish and improve the non-practicing member system, encourage non-practicing personnel who have obtained the patent agent qualification certificate to participate in the patent agency trade organization and participate in the affairs of the patent agency trade organization, and strengthen the training and exchange of non-practicing members.

Chapter V Patent agency supervision

Article 34 The State Intellectual Property Office shall organize and guide the publication of annual reports, lists of abnormal operations and lists of serious violations of law and dishonesty of patent agencies throughout the country.

Article 35 A patent agency shall submit an annual report in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State. The annual report shall include the following:

(1) the patent agency correspondence address, postal code, contact telephone number, E-mail address and other information;

(2) the name of the executive partner or legal representative, partner or shareholder, and the number of employees of the patent agent;

(3) information such as the amount, time and method of capital contribution of the partners and shareholders;

(4) information on the establishment of branches;

(e) the patent agency provides patent agency services through the Internet and other information network platform name, website and other information;

(6) the patent agency handles patent applications, invalidation of patent rights, assignment, licensing, administrative handling of disputes, litigation, pledge financing and other business information;

(7) total assets, total liabilities, total business income, main business income, total profit, net profit, total tax payment and other information of the patent agency;

(8) information on the establishment of overseas branches of patent agencies and their employees' qualifications for overseas patent agencies;

(9) other information that should be reported.

A law firm may submit only the content related to its engagement in patent matters.

Article 36 The personnel of the State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall keep confidential the contents not disclosed in the annual report of the patent agency.

Article 37 Where a patent agency has any of the following circumstances, it shall be included in the list of abnormal operations in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State:

(1) Failure to submit an annual report within the prescribed time limit;

(2) Providing false information when obtaining a patent agency practice license or submitting an annual report;

(3) Unauthorized change of name, office space, executive partner or legal representative, partner or shareholder;

(4) Failure to go through the formalities for filing the establishment, alteration or cancellation of the branch;

(5) If it no longer meets the conditions for a practice license, the administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government orders it to make rectification, and it still fails to meet the conditions upon the expiration of the time limit;

(6) The information published by the patent agency is inconsistent with the information registered in the market supervision and administration department or the judicial administration department;

(7) Cannot be contacted through the registered business premises.

Article 38 Where a patent agency has any of the following circumstances, it shall be included in the list of serious violations of law and dishonesty in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State:

(1) Being listed in the abnormal business list for three years and still failing to perform the relevant obligations;

(2) The administrative punishment of patent agency that is ordered to stop undertaking new patent agency business or revoke the practice license of the patent agency.

Article 39 The State Intellectual Property Office shall guide the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government to inspect and supervise the practice activities of patent agencies and patent agents.

Where a patent agency establishes a branch across provinces, its branch shall be subject to inspection and supervision by the administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where the branch is located. The administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where the patent agency is located shall provide assistance.

Article 40 The State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall inspect and supervise patent agencies and patent agents by means of written inspection, on-the-spot inspection and network monitoring.

In the process of inspection, inspection objects shall be randomly selected and law enforcement inspectors shall be randomly selected. Where violations of laws and regulations are found, they shall be handled in a timely manner according to law, and the results of inspection and handling shall be announced to the public. For patent agencies that have been listed in the list of abnormal business operations or seriously illegal and dishonest, the administrative departments for patent work of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall conduct on-the-spot inspections.

Article 41 The administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall focus on the following matters for inspection and supervision:

(1) Whether the patent agency meets the conditions for the practice license;

(2) Whether the partners, shareholders and legal representatives of the patent agency comply with the provisions;

(3) Whether the information in the annual report of the patent agency is true, complete and effective, and whether it is consistent with the information publicized by the market supervision and administration department or the judicial administration department;

(4) Whether the patent agency exists under the circumstances provided for in Article 37 of these Measures;

(5) Whether the patent agency has established and improved the practice management system and operation system;

(6) Whether the patent agent meets the requirements for practice and goes through the filing procedures;

(7) Whether any entity or individual that has not obtained a patent agency license has engaged in illegal acts of patent agency business without authorization.

Article 42 When the administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government conducts inspection and supervision according to law, it shall record the information of inspection and supervision and the results thereof, which shall be filed after being signed by the inspection and supervision personnel.

The parties concerned shall cooperate with the inspection and supervision of the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, accept inquiries, and truthfully provide relevant information and materials.

Article 43 The State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may conduct warning talks and give opinions to institutions or persons that have committed violations of laws and regulations, and urge them to make timely rectification.

Article 44 The State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall urge patent agencies to implement the relevant service standards for patent agencies and guide patent agencies to improve the quality of service.

Article 45 The State Intellectual Property Office shall, in a timely manner, publish to the public relevant information such as the acquisition, alteration, cancellation, revocation and revocation of the practicing license of the patent agency, as well as relevant information such as the practice filing, revocation and revocation of the patent agent.

The State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative departments for patent work of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall promptly publicize to the public the annual report information of patent agencies, the inclusion or removal of abnormal business list, serious illegal and dishonest list information, administrative punishment information, and the inspection of patent agency practice activities. The results of administrative penalties and inspection and supervision shall be included in the national enterprise credit information publicity system and announced to the public.

Where a law firm or lawyer is subject to administrative punishment for patent agency, the State Intellectual Property Office and the administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall inform the relevant judicial administrative department of the information.

Chapter VI Treatment of illegal acts of patent agency

Article 46 Where any entity or individual considers that the practice activities of a patent agency or patent agent violate the relevant laws, administrative regulations or departmental rules on the administration of patent agency, or considers that there is a situation of unauthorized patent agency business, it may file a complaint and report to the patent administration department of the people's government of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government.

The administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall, upon receipt of complaints and reports, investigate and deal with them in accordance with the relevant provisions on the handling of complaints and reports for market supervision and administration, administrative punishment procedures, etc. Except as otherwise provided for in these Measures.

Article 47 With respect to any illegal or irregular act of patent agency that has significant impact, the State Intellectual Property Office may coordinate or designate the administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of the relevant province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government to deal with it. Where the handling of illegal acts of patent agency involves the administrative departments for patent affairs of the people's governments of two or more provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government, it may be reported to the State Intellectual Property Office for organizing and coordinating the handling.

The State Intellectual Property Office shall, in accordance with law, supervise the handling of illegal acts of patent agency by the administrative departments of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government.

Article 48 The administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government may, on the basis of local conditions, request the administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government at the next higher level to assist in dealing with illegal or irregular acts of patent agency; It may also entrust institutions with actual handling capacity to manage public affairs to deal with violations of patent agency laws and regulations.

The principal shall supervise and guide the acts of the agent and bear legal responsibilities.

Article 49 The administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall investigate and collect evidence related to a case in a timely, comprehensive, objective and impartial manner. The facts of a case can be investigated and verified in the following ways:

(1) requiring the parties to submit written statements of opinions;

(2) questioning the parties;

(3) to conduct on-site investigation at the location of the party concerned, and may review relevant business case files and archival materials;

(4) other necessary and reasonable methods.

Article 50 After the conclusion of the investigation of the case, the administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government considers that the patent agency should be ordered to stop undertaking new patent agency business or revoke its practice license, or the patent agent should be ordered to stop undertaking new patent agency business or revoke the patent agent's qualification certificate. The investigation results and punishment suggestions shall be submitted to the State Intellectual Property Office in a timely manner.

Article 51 Where a patent agency has any of the following circumstances, it is an illegal act of "neglecting management and causing serious consequences" as provided for in Article 25 of the Patent Agency Regulations:

(1) causing losses to the interests of the principal or a third party through intentional or gross negligence, or harming the public interests;

(2) engaging in abnormal acts of patent application, seriously disrupting the order of patent work;

(3) slander other patent agents and patent agencies, solicit business by improper means, engage in fraud, seriously disrupt the order of the industry, and be punished by the relevant administrative organs;

(4) seriously interfering with the normal conduct of patent examination or patent administrative law enforcement;

(5) the patent agent leaves the patent agency and fails to properly handle the business transfer procedures, resulting in serious consequences;

(6) the patent agency practice license information is inconsistent with the registration information of the market supervision and administration department, the judicial administration department or the actual situation, and fails to rectify the situation in accordance with the requirements, causing major misunderstandings to the public;

(7) the establishment, alteration or cancellation of the branch does not meet the prescribed conditions or fails to record in accordance with the provisions, seriously harming the interests of the parties concerned;

(8) acquiescing or appointing a patent agent to sign a patent application or other legal document that has not been written or examined by him, seriously harming the interests of the party concerned;

(9) altering, reselling, renting or lending the practicing license of a patent agency, seriously disrupting the order of the industry.

Article 52 Under any of the following circumstances, it is an illegal act of "carrying out patent agency business without authorization" as provided for in Article 27 of the Patent Agency Regulations:

(1) Using others' qualifications to carry out patent agency business through renting, borrowing, etc.;

(2) Without a patent agency practice license or does not meet the requirements for patent agency practice, acting for patent applications, declaring patent rights invalid and other related business, or soliciting business in the name of patent agency or patent agent;

(3) After the practice license of the patent agency or the qualification certificate of the patent agent has been revoked or revoked, acting for the patent application, declaring the patent right invalid and other related business without authorization, or soliciting business in the name of the patent agency or patent agent.

Article 53 Patent agents shall be responsible for the patent agency business handled by them with their signatures. For patent matters not handled by himself, the patent agent has the right to refuse to sign the relevant legal documents.

Where the patent agent causes losses to the interests of the client or a third party or damages the public interests due to reasons such as the quality of the patent agent, the administrative department for patent affairs of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government may give a warning to the patent agent who signed the patent agent.

Article 54 The State Intellectual Property Office shall, in accordance with the relevant provisions, carry out joint punishment on the subjects of serious dishonesty in the field of patent agency.

Article 55 Where laws and administrative regulations provide otherwise for the treatment of illegal business activities of patent agencies, such provisions shall prevail.

Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions

Article 56 The State Administration for Market Regulation shall be responsible for the interpretation of these measures.

Article 57 The term within 20 days in these Measures refers to working days, excluding legal holidays.

Article 58 These Measures shall come into force as of May 1, 2019. The Measures for the Administration of Patent Agency issued by Order No. 70 of the State Intellectual Property Office on April 30, 2015 and the Disciplinary Rules for Patent Agency (Trial Implementation) issued by Order No. 25 of the State Intellectual Property Office on December 12, 2002 shall be repealed simultaneously.