From 14th to 25th September 2025, the delegation of the China Trademark Association (CTA), which was headed by President Ma Fu, went to Europe to visit an array of major European IP institutions, industrial body, university and IP firm.
Gao Shusu, Trademark Counsel of Wanhuida Intellectual Property, is part of the delegation. Ms. Gao acts as an interpreter of the delegation throughout various events and activities.
On Monday September 15, the delegation attended the Belgium-China IP and Economic Bilateral Seminar, which was hosted by the Belgian-Chinese Economic and Commercial Council (BCECC), a non-profit organization and a leading Belgian business association for companies engaged in doing business in or with China. The delegation was welcomed by Bernard Dewit, Chairman BCECC and Chen Si, Executive Manager. The participants exchanged insights on the “Top 100 Chinese Trademark Filers in Overseas Markets” and “Top 100 Chinese Trademark Filers Report”.
Attendees
Group photo
The delegation also visited the premises of the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP), the government agency responsible for trademark registration in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. They were greeted by Hugues Derème, BOIP Director General.
Group photo
Director General Derème & Gao Shusu
On Tuesday September 23, the delegation held a bilateral meeting with the representatives of the German Association for Intellectual Property Law (GRUR), the largest and oldest association in Germany that is devoted to the protection of intellectual property. The German delegates include Dr Gert Würtenberger, GRUR President, Dr Anke Nordemann-Schiffel, GRUR President-designate, Stephan Freischem, GRUR Secretary General, Dr Erhard Keller, Chair of the GRUR Expert Committee on Competition and Trademark Law, Dr Heike Freund, LL.M., Member of the GRUR Expert Committee on Competition and Trademark Law, Sandra von Lingen, GRUR Senior Manager International Affairs & Publications, among others.
The two sides shared insights on matters including practices and opportunities in training trademark professionals, legal framework for trademark protection in Germany and EU, judicial trials of Chinese Courts, recent developments in German and European trademark and competition law. Gao Shusu speaks on “Latest developments in trademark examinations and trials in China”.
Group photo
Gao Shusu speaking
The delegation also visited NLO, one of Europe’s leading intellectual property firms, Fovea IP, a major global Intellectual Property data supplier, as well as Brand University of Applied Sciences.
Delegates at NLO premises
Delegates at Brand University of Applied Sciences