ENG-2015 — Page 129

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Commerce and Industry

an 'original grant' patent system while retaining the current 're-registration' system for granting standard patents; introducing a post-grant substantive examination for short-term patents; and introducing interim measures to regulate the use of certain titles and descriptions relating to patent agency services. Subject to the progress of the legislative exercise and other preparatory work, the government aims to implement the new patent system in 2017 at the earliest.

Registered Designs

In 2015, the Designs Registry received 2,769 applications for the registration of 5,182 designs and registered 4,702 designs, representing a 9.3 per cent increase compared with 2014.

Copyright

The Copyright Ordinance protects literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, typographical arrangements of published editions, sound recordings, films, broadcasts, cable programmes and performers' performances irrespective of the domicile of the copyright owners. In line with international practice, there is no requirement to register copyright.

Enforcement

The Customs and Excise Department enforces criminal sanctions for the infringement of intellectual property rights. It investigates reports of copyright infringement and trade mark counterfeiting; maintains licensing control on all optical disc and stamper factories; and takes action against the manufacture, distribution, sale, import and export of pirated and counterfeit goods and possession for business use.

In 2015, the department took action in 118 piracy cases, arrested 158 people and seized goods, mostly pirated optical discs, worth $4.2 million. It took action to prevent street sales of pirated and counterfeit goods. In addition to targeted raids, officers carry out intensive and high-profile patrols in high-risk areas to deter and suppress the peddling of pirated and counterfeit goods. In 2015, the department took action in 946 cases of forged trade marks, seizing counterfeit goods worth $104 million and arresting 784 people.

Customs-Business Partnership

To help effective enforcement against piracy and counterfeiting activities, the department liaises closely with the business sector to promote intellectual property rights protection.

Public Education

In 2015, nine trade associations with 1,054 retail merchants, covering 6,785 outlets, took part in the Intellectual Property Department's 'No Fakes Pledge' scheme. The department's school visits programme covered 71 schools and 17,790 students and the interactive drama programme covered 122 schools and 31,310 students. The department also promoted the value of intellectual property trading and the importance of protecting intellectual property rights through seminars and exhibitions.

Intellectual Property Trading

The Working Group on Intellectual Property Trading completed its work and released a report in March 2015. It recommended 28 measures to develop Hong Kong as a premier regional

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