“Last year, the patent applications across Chongqing outnumbered 30,000 pieces, but strictly speaking, the people that have patent agent practicing certificates and engage in patent agent work are only seventy or eighty,” said Wang Hu, Vice Section Head of Chongqing Municipal Intellectual Property Office at the Training Class on 2012 National Patent Agent Qualification Test (Chongqing) on August 22.

According to Wang Hu, the yearly patent applications in China are about 1,600,000 pieces or so, of which over sixty percent were filed with the help of patent agents. It is estimated that each patent agent can handle more than 100 patent applications per year. However, last year, the patent applications in Chongqing reached 32,039 items. So, the patent applications accomplished by the seventy or eighty patent agents of Chongqing should be twice the average amount of the nation. “This indicates that patent agents are in bad need in Chongqing.”

Nowadays, a lot of hi-tech and export-oriented enterprises need patent agents badly. They expect patent agents can assist them to analyze patent information, write patent application documents and solve patent disputes. “Patent agents are well paid due to lack,” said Wang Hu.

However, it is not so easy to get patent agent qualification. Wang Hu noted that patent agents should have high comprehensive quality, science and engineering major, master IPR laws and technological knowledge, and good foreign languages. As a result, only ten percent examinees passed the patent agent qualification examination in Chongqing last year.

Based on this, the National Patent Agent Association held a training class in Chongqing. It is hoped that more participants can pass the examination by taking part in the three-day-long training.

(Source:IPR in China)