INTERNATIONAL FRUIT GENETICS, LLC (IFG) has taken steps to protect its intellectual property in China. The California-based company is the sole and unique proprietor of different table grape varieties, such as IFG Six (Sweet Sapphire ™), IFG Eleven (Sugar Crisp ™), IFG Sixteen (Sweet Favors ™), and IFG Seventeen (Sweet Joy ™).
In recent years, IFG has kept a close eye on the Chinese market, and has undertaken a series of activities aimed at combating counterfeiting and other intellectual property infringement acts against IFG grape varieties in grapevine production and trading.
IFG’s goal is to eliminate the illegal plantations and unauthorized trading of IFG varieties in China, so as to protect the legitimate rights and interests of IFG and its licensed manufacturers and distributors around the world.
IFG has appointed the Baker McKenzie FenXun (FTZ) Joint Operation Office to protect its intellectual property rights and carry out enforcement activities against the alleged infringers before the competent authorities in China.
Specifically, IFG has secured registration of trademarks – not only for the English names of its key varieties, but also for their Chinese counterparts, paving the way for trademark enforcement actions in China. This includes the successful protection of the “甜蜜蓝宝石” [Tian Mi Lan Bao Shi] trademark, the Chinese counterpart for Sweet Sapphire ™, a popular IFG variety in China.
IFG also launched a series of evidence preservation and administrative actions against the illegal plantations as well as the unauthorized trading and promotion of IFG varieties, with the objective of obtaining government endorsement of its enforcement actions.
In response to IFG’s administrative complaints, a local agriculture authority in Jiangsu Province has imposed administrative fines for the illegal promotion of an IFG variety; and a local natural resources authority in Shaanxi Province has ordered a grower in its jurisdiction to cease the illegal propagation and trading of budwoods of an IFG variety.
IFG intends to continue its efforts in proactively seeking support from and cooperation with competent authorities in China to combat possible infringement activities and safeguard the commercial interests of itself and its licensees.
In light of the frameworks laid down by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants and the existing Chinese law for protection of new plant varieties, IFG is confident of securing positive outcomes through its cooperation with the competent authorities in China to undertake various legal actions. IFG also looks forward to a greater respect of its legitimate rights in China. IFG greatly values the Chinese market and will continue its efforts in providing high-quality fruits to Chinese customers.
For more information, visit www.ifg.world.
IFG – International Fruit Genetics公司打击知识产权侵权行为。
加州贝克斯菲尔德（2020年5月[*]日）
INTERNATIONAL FRUIT GENETICS, LLC (IFG)已采取多项措施来保护其在中国的知识产权。这家总部坐落于美国加州的公司为多个鲜食葡萄品种的唯一所有人，其拥有的品种包括IFG Six（Sweet Sapphire ™ 甜蜜蓝宝石）、IFG Eleven（Sugar Crisp ™ 糖脆®）、IFG Sixteen（Sweet Favors ™ 薇甜宠爱®）和IFG Seventeen（Sweet Joy ™ 甜蜜欢乐颂®）等。
近年来，IFG密切关注中国市场，并采取了一系列行动来遏制存在于葡萄苗木生产和销售环节中对于IFG葡萄品种的仿冒及其他知识产权侵权行为。
IFG的目标是在中国杜绝违法种植和未经许可销售IFG品种的行为，从而保护IFG自身以及世界各地IFG授权的生产商和销售商的合法权利和利益。
目前，IFG已委聘北京市奋迅律师事务所和贝克∙麦坚时国际律师事务所（自贸试验区）联营办公室保障其知识产权，并针对被控侵权人向中国主管部门提出维权主张。
值得一提的是，IFG不仅完成了其核心品种英文商标的商标注册，还就品种英文商标的对应中文获得了商标保护，为在中国的商标维权行动奠定了基础。这包括对 Sweet Sapphire™这一在中国大受欢迎的IFG品种的对应中文名称“甜蜜蓝宝石”商标的保护。
此外，IFG亦针对违法种植及未经许可销售和推广IFG品种的行为开展了一系列证据保全及行政投诉，目标是获取政府部门对其维权行动的支持。
针对IFG的行政投诉，江苏省一地方农业部门已就一涉及IFG品种的违法推广进行了行政罚款；同时，陕西省一地方自然资源部门已命令辖区内一种植者停止违法繁育及销售一IFG品种的苗木。
IFG将继续积极寻求中国相关主管部门的支持与合作，来努力遏制可能出现的侵权行为和保障其自身及其被许可人的商业权益。
同时，IFG有信心在国际植物品种权保护同盟以及中国现行的植物新品种保护条例的框架之下，与中国相关主管部门合作，通过采取多项法律行动来获得积极的成果，并期望其合法权利在中国得到更广泛的尊重。IFG极为重视中国市场，将继续致力于向中国消费者提供高品质的水果。
获取更多信息，请访问www.ifg.world。
