ENG-2008 — Page 159

Commerce and Industry 111

In May 2007, the Shenzhen Municipal Government and the CEDB signed an agreement to foster closer technological co-operation between the two cities and promote the establishment of the 'Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation Circle'. After signing the agreement, the two sides launched the 'Shenzhen-Hong Kong Technology Co-operation Funding Scheme' under the 2007 TCFS and set up the 'Shenzhen-Hong Kong Production Foundation' to promote R&D collaborations and share technology resources.

Publicity and Promotional Events

The ITC organises the annual Innovation Festival as a flagship project to foster an innovation and technology culture in the community, particularly among young people. The festival, comprises a series of activities, including an Innovation Expo, a design exhibition, roadshows in three popular shopping malls, thematic seminars, and technology and design workshops. With the support of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, the ITC established the Hong Kong Youth Innovation Club in October 2006 and organised the annual Hong Kong Student Science Project Competition to nurture a new generation of young innovators.

Protection of Intellectual Property Rights

Hong Kong is committed to maintaining a robust regime for protecting intellectual property rights. With its comprehensive legislation, convenient registration, rigorous enforcement and imaginative public education, Hong Kong has gained a well-earned reputation for effective protection of intellectual property.

Registration

The Intellectual Property Department has been providing various electronic services since 2003, enabling efficient registration and management of trade marks, patents and registered designs. The relevant registers are maintained in electronic format, allowing searching of Hong Kong's trade mark, patent and design records in Chinese or English through the Internet, at any time, free of charge (http://ipsearch.ipd.gov.hk). The electronic filing system also provides a secure and user-friendly environment for intellectual property owners or agents to file their applications electronically on a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week basis (http://iponline.ipd.gov.hk).

Through the electronic filing system, members of the public can make direct changes to the particulars of owners and agents of trade marks, patents and designs, extension of time of trade mark applications and registration of assignments and assents for registered trademarks and trademark applications, as long as the information provided meets the validation rules of the system. These changes are updated in the various registry records instantly.

The electronic services, particularly the electronic filing services, have been well received as reflected by the steady migration to electronic filing over the past years. In 2008, the proportions of electronic filings for trade mark, patent and design applications were 59 per cent, 47 per cent and 45 per cent respectively.