News Topics
II. [TW] Taiwan and Israel Sign MOU for Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
I. Highlights of Taiwan’s IP Filings in Q3 2025: Trademark Applications Reach a Record High; Semiconductor Patent Filings Remain Strong
According to the “Q3 2025 Intellectual Property Trends Report” released by the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO), trademark applications in Taiwan increased significantly this quarter, reaching the highest single-quarter level in nearly 27 years. While overall patent filings declined slightly, domestic and foreign applicants continued to strengthen their patent portfolios in key technology sectors, particularly semiconductors.
Key observations for this quarter are summarized below:
- Trademark Applications Surge, Driven by Service and Food & Beverage Sectors
Trademark registration filings reached 27,038 cases in Q3 2025, representing a 16% year-on-year increase and the highest quarterly figure since Q4 1998.
- Applications filed by domestic applicants exceeded 20,000 cases for the first time, with filings concentrated mainly in Class 35 (Advertising and Business Management), Class 43 (Restaurant and Accommodation Services), and Class 41 (Education and Entertainment). This trend reflects continued growth in domestic service-oriented and food and beverage industries.
- Among domestic corporate applicants, Fubon Life Insurance ranked first with 360 filings, followed by Uni-President Enterprises with 137 filings. Among foreign applicants, Luckin Coffee from China ranked first with 71 filings, indicating sustained interest by cross-border brands in strengthening trademark protection in Taiwan.
- Invention Patent Competition Continues; Semiconductor Sector Remains Resilient
Total filings across the three types of patents reached 17,991 cases, representing a slight year-on-year decrease of 2%. Nevertheless, invention patents remain a key focus for high-technology industries.
- TSMC filed 283 invention patent applications, maintaining its position as the top domestic applicant. TSMC has ranked first continuously since Q3 2016, marking ten consecutive years at the top.
- Foreign invention patent filings were led by Japan (3,150 cases) and the United States (1,825 cases). Notably, U.S. filings have recorded positive growth for two consecutive years. Applied Materials, a major semiconductor equipment supplier, ranked first among foreign applicants with 302 filings, while Shin-Etsu Chemical of Japan also reached a record high for a single quarter. These figures underscore Taiwan’s critical role in the global semiconductor supply chain.
- Design Patents: Notable Growth from European Luxury Brands
Overall design patent filings remained stable; however, European fashion and luxury brands demonstrated strong growth momentum.
Design patent filings from Switzerland and France increased by more than 50% year-on-year. French luxury brand Louis Vuitton entered the top five applicants for the first time, reaching a record high, while Swiss jewelry brand Harry Winston also ranked among the leading applicants. This trend reflects a growing emphasis by international luxury brands on protecting product design rights in the Taiwanese market.
References
Hyperlink: TIPO’s Q3 2025 IPR Statistics Report
Frank Tseng
Patent Specialist of RichIP Group
II. Taiwan and Israel Sign MOU for Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
Taiwan and Israel have signed MOU for Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH MOTTAINAI) and intellectual property cooperation during the 15th Taiwan–Israel Economic and Technical Cooperation Conference. This marks the establishment and strengthening of the cooperation framework between the two countries in the field of intellectual property. The Taiwan–Israel PPH was scheduled to take effect on January 2, 2026.
Israel is the eighth partner in Taiwan’s PPH system, following the United States, Japan, Spain, South Korea, Poland, Canada, and France. By sharing search and examination results for patent applications belong to the same invention, both offices can reduce duplicate examination work and improve examination efficiency. In addition, such cooperation helps build a clearer cross-border collaboration framework for patent filing and contributes to international patent management for applicants.
References
Zhijun Lo
Trademark Administrator of RichIP Group
III. To Enhance Patent Application Quality, CNIPA Issues the Guidelines for Patent Applications of Product Design Involving Graphical User Interfaces (GUI)
Our firm has summarized below the key points that applicants should note:
Which GUI designs may qualify as protectable subject matter under design patents?
- A GUI must be applied to a specific product (such as mobile phones, tablets, home appliances, or in-vehicle devices). Icons or images existing independently, without a product carrier, are not eligible subject matter.
- The design must be related to human–computer interaction, such as clicking, swiping, or operational feedback.
- Game interfaces and display content unrelated to human–computer interaction (e.g., wallpapers or boot-up screens) are not eligible subject matter.
- When a partial design is claimed, the GUI portion must constitute a relatively independent section and a complete design unit.
Other compliance reminders:
- When a GUI includes maps, logos, portraits, trademarks, or copyrighted content, special attention should be given to prior rights and adherence to the laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China..
- The “content images” (such as photographs, videos, or real-time imagery) are, in principle, not be involved in the scope of protection, and require special handling in drawings.
Conclusion
Although these Guidelines are a reference document, they may reflect CNIPA’s practical approach to examining GUI-related design patents.
If you have questions about whether a specific product or GUI design is suitable for filing a Chinese design patent application, please feel free to contact us for further discussion.
References
Chun-Wei Lo
Patent and Trademark Counselor of RichIP Group