On December 15, 2017, Hangzhou Customs signed Intellectual Property Right (IPR) Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with 7 cross-border e-commerce companies such as NetEase Inc. The two sides will cooperate in IPR risk prevention, Customs coordinated enforcement, cross-department collaboration as well as education and training, pushing forward a more standard, orderly and sustainable cross-border e-commerce.

As the Customs authority operating in the first Cross-Border E-Commerce Pilot Park in China, Hangzhou Customs attaches continuous attention to the IPR issues in cross-border e-commerce. By signing the MOU, Hangzhou Customs will help these companies to establish and improve internal IPR risk prevention system, and integrate intellectual property management in fields such as procurement, logistics and supply chain. E-commerce companies will seek Customs protection regarding IPR by providing data and technical support and sharing. On this basis, both sides jointly investigate clues of IPR infringement crimes in cross-border e-commerce to ensure smooth connection between administrative enforcement and criminal justice.

Besides, Hangzhou Customs will also cooperate with the e-commerce companies in research, publicity and training of IPR protection.

The MOU also marks further improvement of the Customs-companies cooperation mechanism. Reportedly, Hangzhou Customs has conducted IPR cooperation with 11 companies including Alibaba Group, GEELY Holding Group, and HIKVISION Co, Ltd.