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Commerce and Industry
Customs and Excise Department
The Customs and Excise Department enforces certain trade control systems for the issue of certificates of origin, including those under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and other free trade agreements (FTAs) signed with Hong Kong's trading partners; the import and export of strategic commodities, pharmaceutical products and medicines, reserved commodities, rough diamonds and other prohibited articles; as well as compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention. It collects import and export declarations, declaration charges and the clothing industry training levy, and enforces statutory controls.
The department also enforces the criminal laws that protect copyrights and trade marks, and consumer protection legislation relating to the safety of consumer goods, fair trade practices and the integrity of weights and measures.
Intellectual Property Department
The Intellectual Property Department operates the trade marks, patents, designs and copyright licensing bodies registries, gives professional advice on policy and legislation related to intellectual property, provides civil legal advice on intellectual property matters to the government, and promotes public awareness of and respect for intellectual property rights. It also promotes Hong Kong's development as an intellectual property trading hub in the Asia-Pacific.
Overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Bangkok opened in February. It brings to 13 the number of overseas Hong Kong ETOs, the other 12 being located in Berlin, Brussels, Geneva, Jakarta, London, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto and Washington D.C. The Geneva ETO represents Hong Kong, China as a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and as a participant to the Trade Committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), headquartered in Paris. The other ETOS promote Hong Kong's economic and trade interests by enhancing understanding of Hong Kong among opinion-formers; monitoring developments that may affect Hong Kong's economic and trade interests; and liaising with government bodies, politicians, businesses, think tanks and the media. They organise events to promote Hong Kong's image, and those with investment promotion units also offer support to individual enterprises interested in setting up or expanding their presence in Hong Kong.
The Brussels ETO represents Hong Kong's overall economic and trade interests in Europe, particularly in dealings with the European Union, including the European Commission and European Parliament. It also promotes Hong Kong's bilateral relations with 15 European countries. The London ETO represents Hong Kong's interests and promotes bilateral relations in nine countries, and is also the base of Hong Kong's representative to the International Maritime Organisation. The Berlin ETO fosters economic and trade ties between Hong Kong and eight countries in central and eastern Europe.
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