(ECNS) -- China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) has promised to issue certificates of trademark registration that have been long delayed due to "a lack of special printing paper" before the end of May.
In a statement posted online, the SAIC apologized for causing the delay, blaming it on complicated procurement procedures and ineffective communication among governmental departments.
The statement said the SAIC now has the printing paper and has worked overtime since March 28 to print trademark registration certificates.
All applicants that long ago passed trademark registration approval will get certificates before the end of May, the statement said.
Previous media reports said the SAIC had not issued any certificates of trademark registration for the past seven months.
An agency said the SAIC has not issued any certificates for its clients since August 21. China's law stipulates that trademark applications need to be processed within nine months, followed by a three-month publication period. If the trademark is not contested, the applicant will receive a printed certificate in one month.
The delay is believed to have caused serious problems for companies because the certificate is usually required to market products.
A lawyer specializing in intellectual property said "it's unbelievable to have no certificates issued because of a shortage of paper."
In the statement, the SAIC also vowed to streamline processes and improve efficiency in future.
