XN000022-1995-10-05 — Page 2

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Intellectual property laws to meet new trade standards

The Government would be introducing a bill to ensure that Hong Kong's intellectual property laws meet the standards set in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS).

The Intellectual Property (World Trade Organisation Amendments) Bill, to be gazetted tomorrow (Friday), will be introduced into the Legislative Council on October 18.

A spokesman for the Trade and Industry Branch today (Thursday) said: "TRIPS is part of the results of the GATT Uruguay Round multilateral trade negotiations which culminated in the setting up of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on January 1, 1995. Hong Kong is a founding member.

"TRIPS sets out new standards of intellectual property protection and enforcement among WTO members, including protection of copyright, trade marks, patents, industrial designs and topographies of integrated circuits."

He continued: "Although Hong Kong's existing intellectual property laws are largely in line with the standards set down in TRIPS, Hong Kong must ensure that they are fully compatible with the TRIPS standards as an integral part of taking on our rights and binding responsibilities as a full WTO member.

"WTO is a trade organisation, and one of the main purposes of TRIPS is to minimise impediments to trade due to inadequate protection of intellectual property rights."

There will be four main areas for change:

* All signs which are capable of distinguishing the goods and services of one undertaking from those of another even including smells and sounds - will be capable of registration as trade marks, provided that they are capable of being represented in a graphical form.

* Owners of copyright in films and videos, and computer programs will be

able to prevent such products from being rented out commercially without their permission.