XN000022-1996-12-21+22 — Page 8

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Liaison and co-operation with copyright owners

Full co-operation of the IPR owners in providing adequate evidential proof of copyright subsistence and ownership remains essential for successful criminal prosecutions.

Notwithstanding criminal enforcement by Customs, IPR owners should also take initiatives to protect their property by taking civil actions against copyright infringers through courts. We believe that vigorous criminal sanctions, together with civil actions taken by copyright owners, would maximise the effectiveness of the fight against copyright piracy.

We recognise the importance of promoting public awareness of and respect for intellectual property rights.

The Intellectual Property Department has set up a homepage on the INTERNET to provide information to the public in Hong Kong as well as overseas about our protection of intellectual property rights. An Intellectual Property Society has also recently been set up. It aims to increase public awareness of the importance of protecting intellectual property. It will launch a major public education campaign in 1997.

We believe that closer cooperation between the Government and the copyright owners, not only in the areas of taking enforcement and prosecution actions but also in launching public education campaigns, would be conducive to tackling the copyright piracy problem in Hong Kong.

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