16.10.2024

"2024 Policy Address"- Regional Intellectual Property Trading Centre

Hong Kong's intellectual property (IP)-intensive industries accounted for about 30% of our Gross Domestic Product and of total employment respectively. We will strengthen our position as a regional IP trading centre by expanding the IP trading ecosystem of the I&T sector and creative industries.

Enhance the Legislative Framework for IP

The Government will strengthen protection for the products of innovation and creativity yielded by R&D efforts. Measures include putting forward a proposal next year to enhance the Copyright Ordinance regarding the protection for AI technology development, launching a consultation in 2025 on the registered designs regime currently under review, and proposing legislative amendments to streamline IP litigation processes for the High Court to manage and hear these cases more effectively.

Next year, the Trade Marks Registry under the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) will launch a new AI-assisted image search service to facilitate the public's search of the trademark database.

With the Central Government's support, Hong Kong will participate in the World Intellectual Property Organization Lex-Judgments Database next year, sharing important IP case precedents of local courts, to showcase to the international community the quality of our IP-related judicial judgments.

Strengthen Training of IP Talents

The Government will continue to discuss with the patent agent sector and stakeholders to plan for the introduction of regulatory arrangements for local patent agent services, covering qualification, registration, and other areas, aiming to nurture professional talents and enhance service quality.

The IPD will collaborate with the Qualifications Framework Secretariat to develop practical teaching materials for deployment by training providers, benefitting personnel across 23 different industries.


Click here to view the full document of "2024 Policy Address"