ENG-2000 — Page 169

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

amended in January to include copyright piracy and trade mark counterfeiting offences among OSCO offences. The Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2000 was enacted on July 6. It makes the unauthorised possession of video recording equipment in cinemas, theatres and music halls an offence and clarifies the Copyright Ordinance in relation to copyright infringement activities in the context of trade or business. The new Trade Marks Ordinance was enacted on June 15. This new law modernises the HKSAR's trade mark law in line. with international developments.

Consumer Council

The Consumer Council is a statutory body established in April 1974 for protecting and promoting the interests of consumers of goods and services and purchasers of immovable property. The council comprises a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and 20 members appointed by the Government from a wide spectrum of the community. It forms committees and working groups to deal with specific consumer-protection tasks. The Council Office is headed by a Chief Executive, and has eight functional divisions and a staff of 128.

The council seeks to achieve a fair and informed marketplace through its consumer policy work, complaint and advice service, testing and publication as well as consumer education programmes.

Through monitoring complaints received and consumer surveys and studies on trade practices, the council influences decisions on consumer policy. As an advocate of competition, the council works closely with the Government, particularly the Competition Policy Advisory Group, by reviewing business practices that may have. implications on market competition. During the year, the council responded to a number of complaints and carried out general research on alleged anti-competitive business practices. A number of papers were published and submissions made to the Government, including an extensive report on the oil industry entitled Energising the Energy Market: A Study of Motor Gasoline, Diesel and LPG Markets in Hong Kong. The council continued its efforts throughout the year in encouraging the development of effective codes of practice that will benefit consumers and business alike.

The council's testing and survey programmes seek to provide consumers with objective, unbiased and up-to-date information so that they can make informed choices. During the year, 38 product tests, 52 in-depth studies and 16 survey projects were completed. Most products were tested mainly for their safety, performance, convenience, durability and environmental impact. The tests included a wide range of items, from digital cameras to health products and genetically modified food products.

The council provides a complaint and advice service to the consumer public through an extensive network of telephone hotlines and 12 Consumer Advice Centres. During the year, 18 932 consumer complaints were received, representing an increase of 15 per cent over the 1999 figure and the second highest on record.

The council is in daily contact with the mass media on all matters of consumer interest, with staff holding regular press briefings, maintaining consumer columns in newspapers and appearing on television and radio programmes. Its monthly magazine, CHOICE, regularly provides information, advice and viewpoints on all matters affecting consumer interests, including product test reports and survey

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