ENG-2002 — Page 160

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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also received four reports of unauthorised possession of video recording equipment in cinemas, theatres or concert halls and took prompt enforcement action.

As an initiative to help young people to keep away from copyright pirates, the Customs and Excise Department and the Social Welfare Department jointly established in April a referral system under which juvenile offenders apprehended in piracy cases can be given assistance as necessary and counselling. In 2002, a total of eight juvenile offenders were referred to the Social Welfare Department under the referral system.

A Special Task Force, comprising 147 Customs officers, continued to take action against illicit manufacturing and retailing of optical discs. The department also carried out operations at 'black spot' retail outlets and licensed optical disc factories suspected to be involved in piracy.

As a result of the department's vigorous enforcement action, large-scale illicit optical disc manufacturing activities, for which expensive replicating machines were used, had been successfully stamped out, and no such large-scale activity was detected in 2002. It appeared that copyright pirates were turning to smaller scale operations by setting up copying workshops equipped with CD-writers to manufacture pirated discs. During the year, the department dismantled 41 illegal workshops, seizing 1 350 CD- writers and arresting 81 persons.

The department takes action against copyright piracy activities on the Internet. Since its establishment in early 2000, the department's Anti-Internet Piracy Team has detected 14 Internet piracy cases, resulting in the seizure of pirated goods and equipment valued at $895,000, and the arrest of 28 persons.

Public Education

During the year, the Intellectual Property Department continued to focus on organising a series of activities to keep up the momentum of public education. Consumers and retailers were encouraged to join the ongoing campaigns, 'I Pledge' and 'No Fakes', respectively to show their commitment to buy, use and sell genuine goods.

In 2002, the department continued its programme of visiting secondary schools. Visits to 75 schools with a total of 23 317 students were made. The production of a web-based interactive teaching kit on intellectual property was expected to be completed in early 2003.

In March, the Intellectual Property Department played host to the 14th meeting of the APEC Intellectual Property Expert Group (IPEG). The two-day meeting was attended by delegates from 14 member economies. Concurrently, the department organised jointly with the Department of Health a 'Symposium on Traditional Medicine'. Experts on the subject from around the world as well as from the World Intellectual Property Organisation were invited to speak in the symposium.

In collaboration with Radio Television Hong Kong, the department produced a series of eight documentary episodes on various issues relating intellectual property including trade marks, patents, designs and copyright. The series was broadcast weekly on TVB Jade in August and September.

With the aim of attracting more youngsters to join the 'I Pledge' campaign, the department sponsored a Canto-pop concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum in November, with the theme of 'Anti-piracy' and 'Anti-counterfeiting'.