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Commerce and Industry

Invest Hong Kong

Invest Hong Kong encourages and assists overseas, Mainland and Taiwanese companies with the potential to contribute to Hong Kong's economic development to set up and expand their operations in Hong Kong. Invest Hong Kong focuses on attracting companies in business. sectors and industries where Hong Kong has a competitive edge and encouraging multinational companies to locate their regional or global headquarters and other strategic functions in Hong Kong to tap opportunities on the Mainland and elsewhere. Invest Hong Kong conducts investment promotion activities worldwide through its 14 Investment Promotion Units (IPUs) in Hong Kong ETOs, the Hong Kong Economic, Trade, and Cultural Office in Taiwan and the Beijing Office, as well as its overseas consultants in 13 strategic locations not covered by the IPUs.

Customs and Excise Department

The Customs and Excise Department enforces various trade control systems for the issue of certificates of origin (including those under the CEPA), the import and export of textiles, strategic commodities, pharmaceutical products and medicines, reserved commodities, rough diamonds and other prohibited articles, as well as compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention. The department also collects import and export declarations, declaration charges and clothing levies, and enforces the relevant statutory controls.

The department also enforces the criminal laws that protect copyright and trade marks, and consumer protection legislation relating to the safety of consumer goods, the provision of accurate sales information on products, and the integrity of weights and measures.

Intellectual Property Department

The Intellectual Property Department operates the trade marks, patents, designs and copyright licensing bodies registries, advises on policy and legislation related to intellectual property protection, provides civil intellectual property legal advice to the Government, and promotes public awareness of and respect for intellectual property rights.

Overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices

There are 11 overseas Hong Kong ETOS located in Berlin, Brussels, Geneva, London, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto and Washington DC. With the exception of the Geneva office, which represents 'Hong Kong, China' as a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and as an observer to the Trade Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development headquartered in Paris, the other 10 ETOs seek to promote Hong Kong's economic and trade interests by enhancing understanding of Hong Kong among opinion-formers; closely monitoring developments that might affect Hong Kong's economic and trade interests; and liaising closely with the business and commercial sectors, politicians, think tanks and the news media. They also regularly organise events to promote Hong Kong's image.

The Brussels ETO represents Hong Kong's overall economic and trade interests in Europe, in particular in dealings with the European Union (including the European Commission and European Parliament). It also promotes bilateral relations in 15 European countries. The London

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