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Mr President, I will now briefly outline the major features of the Bill. First, Hong Kong will establish an independent Designs Registry. The proposed designs registration system requires no substantive examination. The Registrar of Designs, being satisfied that the formal application requirements have been complied with and that there is no obvious reason to refuse the application, will register and publish the design. Secondly, the period of protection of a design registered with the Hong Kong Designs Registry will be for an initial period of five years. Registration may be extended for four periods of five years each upon payment of the prescribed renewal fee. The maximum duration of protection will be 25 years. Thirdly, after the commencement of the new law, designs already registered in the United Kingdom will be deemed as Hong Kong registered designs for continuity.
With the introduction of the Registered Designs Bill into this Council today, I hope Honourable Members will give the earliest possible consideration to the Bill. While the timetable is extremely tight because we must put in place an independent registered designs system in Hong Kong before 1 July 1997, I am confident that with the support and co-operation from Honourable Members, we would be able to achieve our task.
Thank you, Mr President.
End
Justices of the Peace Bill
Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary, Mrs Anson Chan, in moving the second reading of the Justices of the Peace Bill in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
I move that the Justices of the Peace Bill be read the second time.
The purpose of the Bill is to provide a local statutory basis for the appointment of Justices of the Peace (JPs) and to update their powers and functions.