A Comprehensive Overview of the Amended PRC Trademark Law (3)

The Amended PRC Trademark Law | Effective January 1, 2027

Article 19 · Registration Must Be Grounded in Use

Article 19: No registration shall be granted where an application for registration is filed without the intention to use the trademark and manifestly exceeds the needs of normal production and business operations. No application for registration may be filed by fraudulent or other improper means.

Why It Matters

The fundamental purpose is to bring the trademark system back to its origin — registration for use. By replacing the subjective test of “bad faith” with the relatively objective standard of “manifestly exceeding the needs of normal production and business operations,” and by building a regulatory framework covering the entire registration process, the new law aims to crack down on bad-faith registration and trademark stockpiling more precisely and efficiently, thereby maintaining a fair market order and creating a better business environment for honest operators.