The Customs of Taiwan has been taking effective measures in border protection, including monitoring and deterring the importation and exportation of the goods that are suspected of infringing trademarks, patents, copyrights or any other intellectual property in accordance with the Trademark Act, the Patent Act, the Copyright Act as well as other relevant laws and regulations.

 

Specifically for implementing these relevant laws and regulations for border protection, the Customs authorities had further stipulated the Regulations Governing Customs Measures in Protecting the Rights and Interests of Trademark as well as the Operational Directions for Customs Authorities in Implementing Measures for Protecting the Rights and Interests of Patent and Copyright.

 

Under the two regulations, the trademark or copyright owners are entitled to apply for Customs recordation with the Customs authorities to conduct a general inspection of the imported and exported goods suspected of trademark or copyright infringement for one year. Prior to the expiration of the one-year term of Customs recordation, it is available to apply for renewing the recordation term for another one year. Extended renewal for next year is also available before the renewal is expired once the trademark and copyright rights are still enforceable.

 

The Customs authorities just accepted paper applications during the past but it has been also available for online applications for the Customs recordation since 1 October 2014. The new measures of online applications will be more convenient and efficient for the owners of the trademarks and the copyrights and the Customs authorities to complete and process the applications.

 

The online application for the Customs recordation is available at the CPT single window of the Customs authorities at http://portal.sw.nat.gov.tw/PPL/. Nonetheless, all of the contents need to be completed in Chinese and it is required to have a local contact person in Taiwan whom the Custom may approach once there is any seizure at the Customs.