Overview   News

This initiative would update EU rules on industrial emissions to ensure industry keeps improving the EU’s environment. It aims to ensure industry uses techniques that create a more sustainable EU economy, and a cleaner environment that improves public health. In this way, the initiative supports the zero pollution ambition under the European Green Deal, as well as the EU’s policies on energy, climate and the circular economy (reducing resource consumption and waste generation and promoting the use of recycled materials).

A new Technical Group on Aquaculture, a Maritime Clusters cooperation scheme, a webinar with a focus on blue skills and another WestMED Stakeholder Conference. These are some of the main activities foreseen in 2021. So stay tuned!

The WestMED initiative’s website is currently undergoing a migration process to the Europa.ec domain. This means that the website will receive a new domain-name as off early March 2021.

Recently, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) announced that all subsidies for patent applications will be cancelled by the end of June 2021. Furthermore, financial aid provided by local governments for patent licensing should be phased out before 2025. This action aims to improve the quality of China’s patents. It is also good news for the EU SMEs as it reduces the amount of low-quality patents and potentially reduces the backlog of patent applications.

In 2020, the Chinese Customs detained over 56 million goods suspected of IP infringement. While the customs is carrying out routine inspections of goods, in 2020, there were several special enforcement actions such as Longteng Action and Blue Net Action aimed at combating IP infringements including in the field of cross-border e-commerce. It should be noted that in China the customs have the authority to detain imports and exports of goods suspected of IP infringement. It is a good enforcement tool that EU SMEs can benefit from when they record their IP free of charge with the China Customs.

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate announced that it will increase “efforts to protect commercial secrets in key technology fields and combat infringements that involve advanced and core technologies or threaten enterprises' survival and development”. This is a welcomed step as trade secret protection has always been rather complicated in China, with low numbers of successful court cases.

The European Commission is partnering with the European Investment Fund, part of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB) to launch the BlueInvest Fund, a €75 million equity investment fund for the blue economy.

Twenty-five years after the Barcelona Declaration, a new Joint Communication of the European Commission on the New Agenda for the Mediterranean has been adopted, proposing to draw on the opportunities of green and digital transitions.

In the framework of the Second Ministerial Conference on Sustainable Blue Economy, Ministers from the 42 UfM States adopted a new Declaration on Blue Economy, where they recognised the WestMED initiative as a successful example of cooperation and a catalyst for the development of sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean.

Five EIC Pathfinder/FET Proactive projects have signed the collaboration agreement. Its main aim is to deliver a blueprint for a full-fledged system for environmental intelligence.

As announced in its Communication on the European Green Deal, the Commission is developing a new (post 2021) EU forest strategy. The strategy will build on the EU’s 2030 biodiversity strategy, cover the whole forest cycle and promote the many services that forests provide. Have your say!

If you have any questions regarding IP in China please contact us at question@china-iprhelpdesk.eu

The National Institute of Industrial Property in Brazil (INPI) has published the first edition of their "Manual de Indicações Geográficas" (Geographical Indications Handbook). The "Manual" will come into force on 1 February 2021. This new handbook contains guidelines and recommendations for users and examiners of the INPI concerning the procedures and examination guidelines, as well as other relevant technical definitions.

Improving the use of ocean space, balancing interaction between human needs and the marine environment, increasing the participation of local communities... These are goals that EMFF project Océan Metiss is helping achieve in the Indian Ocean. On the coastline of La Réunion Island, local stakeholders are using an innovative, user-friendly tool called SEASKETCH in a collective MSP ambition. The project created 6 full time jobs so far. Marie-Noëlle Sinama-Valliamé, President of the Blue Institute: "The Océan Metiss project helps us widen the sea’s access, potential and benefits to everybo

European projet BIOGEARS recently launched a consultation targeting aquaculture stakeholders to contribute and discuss opportunities for eco-friendly alternatives to conventional (non-biodegradable) aquaculture gears to be used in the aquaculture sector. A sector at the heart of sustainable and integrated use of the maritime space.

The Maritime Spatial Planning Directive was transposed into Finnish law in 2016 and after four years of collaboration with maritime sectors and experts, the first Finish maritime spatial plan has been approved by the eight coastal regional councils.

The EU-funded UNITED project has enabled two Dutch companies, Oceans of Energy and The Seaweed Company, to create the world’s first combined solar and seaweed farm in the North Sea, demonstrating that solar energy production and seaweed cultivation are possible in the same space. A demonstration that MSP and multiuse of space at sea is key for European Green Deal and Ocean based energies ambitions.

The Government of Åland has presented its Maritime Spatial Plan proposal for its second consultation. Based on the Åland Islands Water Act legislation, this second MSP proposal aims to reinforce the achievement of Good Environmental Status and sustainable development, adding tools and resources such as interactive web map, MSP layer description and environmental report. The consultation (in Swedish) will close on 15th February 2021.

Maritime spatial plans are already in place for the German North Sea and Baltic Sea EEZs and for the territorial sea areas. These plans are being assessed via an international consultation and a series of documents, together with a virtual open meeting on January 27th, are contributing to this revision.

Through the establishment of a cooperation framework within the western Mediterranean sub-sea basin, the WestMED initiative’s Technical Group on Sustainable Transport and Green Shipping aims to promote dialogue among key actors and contribute to the deployment of innovative solutions for clean maritime transport.