one of China’s leading professional forums for automotive spare parts, components and a spotlight on the automotive aftermarket industry – will take place from 8 – 12 December 2010 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. 10 celebrated international vehicle manufacturers and world leading automotive parts suppliers including BMW, Bosch, Corteco, Daimler, Hella, Mahle, Mann-Hummel, SKF, TRW and ZF will participate into the exposition in the name of Automotive Industry Working Group (AIWG) of Quality Brands Protection Committee (QBPC) jointly with Japan Auto Parts Industries Association (JAPIA). The goal is to emphasize the importance of adopting genuine spare parts with regards to consumer and public safety, by demonstrating the serious risks posed, and damages caused by counterfeited auto parts as well as best practice on automobile maintenance and parts replacement. The companies wish to promote the protection and development of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in the automotive industry as a key element in protecting consumer safety and in advocating an orderly and legal environment for business competition.

　　Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection efforts in the automotive industry are directly linked to consumer rights protection and aim to ensure public health and security away from damages and threats caused by counterfeiting.

　　Nowadays, while the economy, society and technology of China are growing at an unprecedented rate, a huge domestic consumption capacity, coupled with sophisticated processing and innovation abilities of the local enterprises plus a legislative and enforcement environment that has yet to be improved, and especially the global economic integration have raised up both unprecedented opportunities and challenges to IPR protection. The developing trend of IPR crimes such as trademark infringement, becoming increasingly professional, systematic and international has drawn extensive attention of Industry and governments of various countries, since counterfeited automobile spare parts’ entering into the market not only reduces public trust in the brand but more seriously, directly threaten the lives of car drivers and all road users.

　　The call for a concerted and coordinated government-corporate effort to address this challenge was answered by the establishment of Quality Brands Protection Committee (hereinafter referred to as QBPC) under the China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment (CAEFI) in March 2000. Its stated goal is to promote exchange and cooperation on legislation, law enforcement, and protection of IPR practices among IPR protection organizations in China and abroad.

　　In order to take up corporate social responsibility and strengthen the IPR protection activities in the industry, several foreign-invested vehicle and spare parts manufacturers of QBPC set up the Automotive Industry Working Group (AIWG) to fight against the counterfeits in the industry. Until now, with the strong support of Chinese law enforcement authorities, the members of the AIWG have launched, both jointly and separately, market sweep activities in key areas, severely affected by the manufacturing and distribution of counterfeits in China, which has succeed in stopping the flow of counterfeit automobile parts and accessories into the market. In addition, they have been engaged since 2004 in promoting public IPR awareness by organizing booths during numerous important auto shows and parts fairs. They all hope, through this activity, to increase public awareness of counterfeiting problems in the automotive industry, create a social atmosphere that respecting IPR in the automotive industry. In fact, it is the common duty of all the citizens with honesty and goodness to fight against the counterfeit auto parts and to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. Let’s promote the cooperation between companies and unite extensive public to actively assist Chinese government to eradicate counterfeiting from all areas of the industry, whether production, storage, distribution and export, etc, thus protecting the IPR of the automotive industry, maintaining a well-ordered market and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.

　　                                                                  By IP Channel of People's Daily Online