Over the years, Chang Tsi & Partners has maintained a strong relationship and close collaboration with Customs at various levels in China. Participating in intellectual property protection training organised by Customs across the country has been a crucial aspect of Chang Tsi's daily work.

The objective of participating in IP protection training for Customs officers is to enhance their comprehension of the brand owners’ fundamental IP rights and core products, thereby enabling them to execute their responsibilities more effectively during import and export inspections, safeguarding the rights of the brand owners by crackdown on counterfeit goods. Based on our experience and data analyzed, the participation in Customs training shown a significant enhancement in border protection for brand owners. The Customs seizure cases will increase a lot at certain Customs after the training is conducted in the same Customs. Thus, the seats on behalf of brand owners to participate in the Custom training are very limited, many brand owners would like to join the training to increase their border protection.

The Customs trainings on IP protection typically encompass the following aspects:

1. Introduction of brand owners: Chang Tsi shall act as the representative of its clients, and serve as the speaker to acquaint Customs officers with the various types of IP rights owned by its clients. Chang Tsi shall provide a comprehensive overview of its clients' key IP rights and core products.

2. Identification of IP Infringement: Furthermore, Chang Tsi, in its role as the speaker, shall also provide guidance to Customs officers responsible for import and export inspections on how to identify suspicious infringing products. In the event that any suspicious infringing products are discovered, immediate notification of such information shall be relayed to Chang Tsi or the brand owners.

3. Case Studies and Discussions: Chang Tsi shall engage in in-depth communication with Customs authorities to gain insights into their attitudes and approaches towards handling IP infringement issues. This shall entail studying authentic cases of IP seizure cases handled by Customs, researching relevant laws and regulations, and understanding how Customs officers address IP infringement issues during their frontline inspection works.

In 2023, Chang Tsi has participated in Customs IP protection trainings held by 6 different Customs, namely Shenzhen Customs, Qingdao Customs, Kunming Customs, Changsha Customs, Harbin Customs and Chongqing Customs. These Customs are pivotal in China's import and export trade, spanning across the northeastern, central, southwestern, northern coastal, and southeastern coastal regions of China. Their role in border protection for brand owners is of paramount significance. Chang Tsi, on behalf of a total of 30 brand owners, delivered presentations at the aforementioned customs offices, significantly deepening the customs' impression of their brands and products.

In 2024, Chang Tsi will continue to strengthen communication with Customs throughout China and actively participate in customs training programs on IP protection. This will enable us to assist our clients in continuously enhancing their efforts in IP border protection. If you have any questions or specific requirements regarding Customs trainings, please feel free to contact us at any time.