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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1988
"THE AMENDMENT, IF APPROVED, WILL SERVICE SECTORS WITH PROTECTION THAT IS THAN THE EXISTING COMMON LAW ACTION FOR
PROVIDE THE
RAPIDLY GROWING MUCH CHEAPER AND EFFECTIVE 'PASSING OFF', HE SAID.
**
MR MACLEOD SAID HE HOPED THAT THE RELEVANT BILL WOULD BE ENACTED SO THAT IT WOULD COME INTO EFFECT IN 1990.
HE ALSO SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONDUCTING A WIDE-RANGING REVIEW OF ALL LOCAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS, WITH THE INTENTION ΤΟ "LOCALISE" THE UNITED KINGDOM LEGISLATION, UPDATE AND MODERNISE THE "LOCALISED" LAW AND TO ENACT LOCAL ORDINANCES ΤΟ COVER AREAS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW THAT HAD NEVER HAD EFFECT IN HONG KONG.
OF ΤΟ
MR MACLEOD SAID THAT TWO LAW REFORM COMMISSION SUB-COMMITTEES WOULD SUBMIT REPORTS RESPECTIVELY ON COPYRIGHT (INCLUDING ASPECTS DESIGN LAW) AND ON WHETHER THE EXISTING COMMON LAW RELATING "BREACH OF CONFIDENCE" SHOULD BE REPLACED BY A STATUTORY ORDINANCE CODIFYING THE COMMON LAW.
COMMITTEE, GOVERNMENT
"ANOTHER MAJOR INITIATIVE IS THAT A PATENT STEERING COMPRISING PRIVATE SECTOR PRACTITIONERS AND REPRESENTATIVES, HAS BEEN STUDYING HONG KONG'S FUTURE PATENT NEEDS FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, AND INTENDS TO ISSUE ITS REPORT IN THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR, HE SAID.
"
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS AT PRESENT HANDLING A PROPOSAL FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW FORM OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY то PROTECT
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS CHIPS OR SEMICONDUCTOR CHIPS.
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
+
-
MR MACLEOD SAID THAT IN THE VARIOUS LEGISLATIVE REVIEW EXERCISES WHICH WERE BEING UNDERTAKEN, THE GOVERNMENT MUST ENSURE THAT IT FULFILLED ITS INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS.
"WE INTEND TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE PROTECTION FOR THE LEGITIMATE RIGHTS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OWNERS, WHILE ENSURING THAT THE RIGHTS OF COMPETITORS AND CONSUMERS ARE NOT OPPRESSED, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE LEGISLATION SHOULD BE AS CLEAR AND SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE.
■
THE PROTECTION OFFERED SHOULD PROVIDE A HIGH DEGREE OF CERTAINTY AND SHOULD CAUSE AS LITTLE A DRAIN AS POSSIBLE ON THE PUBLIC PURSE AND THE PRIVATE PURSE, HE ADDED.
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