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Commerce and Industry

measures to promote Hong Kong's development as a premier regional intellectual property trading hub. It plans to submit its recommendations to the government in the first quarter of 2015.

Co-operation with Mainland Counterparts

The Intellectual Property Department works closely with its Mainland counterparts at the national, regional and provincial level to promote the importance of intellectual property protection and management and intellectual property trading.

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. Hong Kong and Guangdong customs conduct regular joint operations to intercept infringing goods smuggled across the boundaries. The department and the National Copyright Administration provide mutual administrative assistance in the fight against internet piracy to better protect the interests of intellectual property rights owners.

Participation in International Organisations

The Intellectual Property Department participates in various international forums (including discussions, activities and conferences of the World Trade Organisation Council for Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the World Intellectual Property Organisation) and represents Hong Kong, China at various international and regional intellectual property symposiums and conferences, including the 38th and 39th meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Intellectual Property Experts Group respectively held in Ningbo and Beijing.

Business Facilitation

The Business Facilitation Advisory Committee (BFAC) advises the government on the development and implementation of programmes and measures to facilitate business compliance with government regulations and to sustain a competitive regulatory environment for business in Hong Kong while safeguarding the public interest. The BFAC is made up of representatives from the business, academic, professional and political sectors and senior government officials from the relevant bureaus. Around 30 government bureaus and departments involved in providing licensing services to various business sectors participate in the government's 'Be the Smart Regulator' programme, aimed at improving the efficiency, transparency and business-friendliness of the licensing system.

Business Liaison Groups foster communication between the government bureaus and departments and the major business sectors and help resolve regulatory and licensing matters at the operational level. A business consultation e-platform has been set up under the GovHK portal to help the business community access information on proposed regulations, administrative measures and procedures that would impact on business, and offer their views or comments. Its mobile app is also available for free download by searching for 'eabfu' on the iPhone App Store or the Google Play Store.

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