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deployed ICM consultants to provide free consultancy service to local SMEs. A total of 620 organisations joined the programme which was completed in March 2011.

The department launched the Chinese version of a free online intellectual property audit tool 'Intellectual Property Explorer' in May 2011. Developed by the government intellectual property offices of Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore. under the auspices of the APEC, Intellectual Property Explorer was designed to help the business sector, in particular SMEs, to identify and protect their intellectual property assets. The English version was launched in August 2010.

Co-operation with Mainland Counterparts

The Intellectual Property Department worked closely with its relevant Mainland counterparts at the national level, as well as authorities in the Pan-Pearl River Delta region and Guangdong Province to promote the protection and management of intellectual property rights. In collaboration with the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) and the Macao Economic Services, the department organised the 'Mainland, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR Intellectual Property Symposium 2011' with intellectual property trading as one of the themes.

The department signed the first co-operation agreement with SIPO in November 2011 to strengthen co-operation in the area of intellectual property. The department also signed the 'Agreement on Guangdong/Hong Kong Co-operation on Intellectual Property (2011-12)' with the Guangdong Intellectual Property Office in August 2011 with a view to strengthening and actively promoting the co-operation and development of intellectual property in Guangdong and Hong Kong.

The Customs and Excise Department maintains close co-operation with its Mainland counterparts in exchanging experience and information on the detection and prosecution of intellectual property-related offences. Over the years, the Customs administrations of Hong Kong and the Guangdong Province have conducted regular joint operations to intercept infringing goods smuggled across the boundaries.

The department entered into a co-operative arrangement with the National Copyright Administration in March 2010 to strengthen co-operation by providing mutual administrative assistance in the fight against Internet piracy with a view to better protecting the interests of the intellectual property right owners.

Participation in International Organisations

To keep abreast of international developments in intellectual property protection, the Intellectual Property Department participated in various international forums, including the activities of the WTO Council for Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and conferences at the World Intellectual Property Organisation. The department also represented Hong Kong, China at other international and regional intellectual property symposiums and conferences, including the 32nd and 33rd meeting of the APEC Intellectual Property Experts Group held in the United States.