Intellectual Capital Management Scheme To Launch In Hong Kong

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

03 March 2009

Hong Kong's Intellectual Property Department will start a pilot intellectual capital management programme targeting small and medium enterprises, the region's Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau has announced.

Speaking at the department's annual Top e-Filers award ceremony on March 2, Mrs Lau said that free consultancy services will be provided to such companies to help them build, manage and harness their intellectual capital.

Noting that the department has been promoting migration to e-services for registration of trademarks, patents and designs, she said that rights-owners and intellectual property practitioners have put them to good use, with the number of e-applications filed exceeding 210,000.

Last year, 59.5% of applications for registration of trademarks were filed online. About 47.4% of standard patents and 44.9% of designs were filed electronically.

A number of major intellectual property events will be held in Hong Kong this year, including an international convention of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association and a regional symposium of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Mrs Lau encouraged the local community to share with intellectual property professionals and experts from other parts of the world their experience and best practices in protecting intellectual property rights.

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