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29. Proposals are being formulated for new legislation to protect the layout design of integrated circuits.
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Furthermore, the Hong Kong Government recognises the impact of the rapid development in technology on the present intellectual property rights regime in Hong Kong. A Patent Steering Committee was appointed to review the patent system in Hong Kong while the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong is in the process of making law reform recommendations to the Hong Kong Government on the law relating to copyright.
31. Apart from making laws, the Hong Kong Government established the Intellectual Property Department in 1990 as part of its commitment to ensuring that Hong Kong's regime for the protection and promotion of intellectual property rights is commensurate with the provisions of the Covenant. The Hong Kong Goverment's intellectual property rights policies are executed by the Department.
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On the enforcement side, the Customs and Excise Department of the Hong Kong Government is responsible for enforcing the criminal aspects of intellectual property rights. It investigates complaints alleging infringement of trade marks and copyright. The Department has extensive powers of search and seizure and collaborates with overseas enforcement authorities and owners of trade marks and copyright in a concerted effort to combat infringement of intellectual property rights. The Department has received many commendations for its works from both public and private institutions, locally and overseas.
33. The court is the normal forum for dispute settlement in relation to intellectual property rights. In the area of copyright, there is also a quasi-judicial body known as the Performing Right Tribunal which decides disputes between copyright collecting societies and prospective copyrights users of copyright works. Appeal on a point of law can be made from the Tribunal to the High Court in Hong Kong.
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