ENG-1995 — Page 145

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

facilities. Air traffic control, telecommunication, meteorological and mechanised postal systems were also bought for the new airport.

Intellectual Property

The Intellectual Property Department, which includes the Trade Marks and Patents Registries, provides a focal point for the development of Hong Kong's intellectual property regime. The department is pursuing proposals for reform of the laws on trade marks, patents, copyright and designs. In November 1995, the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group agreed on the basis for the continued protection of all categories of intellectual property in Hong Kong after June 30, 1997, both under localised laws which are now being prepared, and under international conventions which will continue to apply to Hong Kong after June 30, 1997. An Intellectual Property (World Trade Organisation Amendments) Bill was introduced to the Legislative Council in October 1995 to fulfil Hong Kong's international obligations as a member of the World Trade Organisation to enhance the protection of intellectual property rights.

Trade Marks and Patents

The Trade Marks Registry is a registry of original registration. Trade marks are registered in respect of both goods and services under the Trade Marks Ordinance. The procedure in applying for registration is laid down in the Trade Marks Rules. Every mark must satisfy the requirements of the Trade Marks Ordinance before it may be accepted for registration in Hong Kong. During 1995, 16 553 applications were received, 13 816 of which were in respect of goods and 2 737 in respect of services. In all, 10 940 marks were registered in 1995, an increase of 24 per cent compared with 8 700 in 1994. The principal places of applicants' origin were:

Hong Kong

USA

Japan

France

UK

2 680

2 582

Germany Italy

533

350

1 224

Switzerland

343

612

607

Taiwan

276

Australia

204

110

The register had a total of 81 339 marks at December 31, 1995.

The Patents Registry is not a registry of original registration. It registers patents that have been granted in the UK or the European Patent Office designating the UK. The Registration of Patents Ordinance provides that any grantee of a UK Patent or an European Patent designating the UK may apply for registration of the patent in Hong Kong within five years from the date of its grant. This confers on the grantee the same privileges and rights as if the patent had been granted in the UK with an extension to Hong Kong. The privileges and rights run from the commencement of the term of the patent in the UK, and continue as long as the patent remains in force there.

Hong Kong registered a total of 1 960 patents during the year, an increase of 31 per cent compared with 1 500 in 1994.

Copyright

In May 1995, the criminal provisions of the Copyright Ordinance were amended to increase substantially the penalties against copyright piracy and to provide a second