A regulation protecting Olympic-related intellectual property will be implemented in Beijing on November 1.

The regulation states any unauthorized use of the five-ring Olympic symbol, the Olympic motto, anthem or logo, and special terms will be violating the intellectual property of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Special terms include "Olympic, Olympics, Olympiad, Olympic Games, Beijing 2008" and their respective Chinese terms.

The regulation is issued by the Beijing municipal government to keep the city's promise to protect the rights and interests of the IOC and its patrons from being harmed, said Wang Youpeng, director of the Beijing Intellectual Property Office.

Earlier, a foreign electronic company producing communication facilities and electronic productions used a well-known domestic website to congratulate Beijing on its successful Olympic bid. The action was said to have impaired the interests of IOC's partners, Samsung and Panasonic, which operate in the same industry.

According to the Olympic Charter and IOC's rules on Olympic host cities, competitors in the same business with IOC patrons should not have any connection to Olympic-related intellectual property.

Otherwise, IOC could be in danger of violating its contracts with patrons and, as a result, the Olympic host city would be given less funds and fewer subsidies, said Liu Yan, a law expert who participated in drafting the rule.

"Some unauthorized usages are unconscious and arise out of people's good wishes, but many do intend to improve their public images through declaring support or congratulations to Beijing in the media," said Liu.

Many real estate and food companies frequently use Olympic terms in their advertisements as a way of promoting their products.

The practices by some media and other organizations of sponsoring forums and conferences on the Olympics and the economy are also in danger of committing violations, especially those producing large quantities of souvenirs with Olympic signs and mottoes, such as T-shirts and caps, and selling them in the market.

All of these unauthorized uses, including those disguised as for legitimate business purposes, are forbidden by the regulation, Liu said.

Three hotlines have been opened for reporting violations. They are 68037727, 84251190 and 12315.

"But the issuance of the regulations does not mean that we cannot use Olympic signs and mottoes to promote Olympic Games," he said.

According to the regulation, any organization, enterprise or individual should first get approval from the IOC or the organizing committee for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, slated to be established before December 13.

(China Daily 11/01/2001)