XN000022-1989-03-13 — Page 9

8

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 1989

HK SUPPORTS FIRM ACTION ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

* * *

THE

HONG KONG'S LEGISLATION AND ENFORCEMENT IN PROTECTING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE AMONG THE TOUGHEST IN THE WORLD, TERRITORY'S MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC AND TRADE AFFAIRS, MR PETER LO, TOLD A CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON,

HAS

IN ADDITION, MR LO SAID, HONG KONG SUPPORTED EFFORTS TO PROVIDE FOR STRONGER INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT).

MR LO WAS SPEAKING AT A CONFERENCE OF THE AFFAIRS ON "CUTTING EDGE ISSUES IN COPYRIGHT AND THE US CAPITAL ON FRIDAY.

OF TRADE-RELATED FRAMEWORK OF THE

BUREAU OF NATIONAL TRADEMARK LAW" IN

HE SAID HONG KONG WAS KNOWN AS A FREE PORT WITH NO TARIFF BARRIERS OR QUOTA RESTRICTIONS ON IMPORTS.

CORNERSTONE

OF

"HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION IN THE GATT IS THE OUR EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL POLICY AND BECAUSE OF OUR FIRM COMMITMENT TO THE FREE TRADE PHILOSOPHY, WE SUPPORT AND ABIDE BY THE APPLICATION GATT PRINCIPLES AND MECHANISMS."

C

OF

MR LO SAID HONG KONG WAS ALREADY A PARTY ΤΟ THREE MAJOR TREATIES GOVERNING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

THE PARIS CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY, THE BERNE INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT CONVENTION AND THE UNIVERSAL COPYRIGHT CONVENTION.

"IN ADDITION, HONG KONG PROVIDES BOTH REMEDIES TO DEAL WITH MALPRACTICES ASSOCIATED COPYRIGHT, INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, PATENTS AND VIOLATIONS, HE SAID.

CIVIL AND CRIMINAL

WITH TRADE MARKS, TRADE DESCRIPTIONS

THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WAS TASKED WITH POLICING AND ENFORCING THE LEGISLATION, HAD ALREADY MADE TANGIBLE RESULTS.

THE LATEST STATISTICS SHOWED THAT IN 1987

IT HAD MADE 1,290

SEIZURES OF COUNTERFEIT GOODS VALUED AT CLOSE TO US$7.6 MILLION.

:

"WITH TOUGH LEGISLATION, EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINED POLICY TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, WE ARE SATISFIED THAT THE ILLEGAL TRADE AND INFRINGEMENTS HAVE BEEN LARGELY CONTAINED," HE SAID.

/BUT, MR