2 April 2019
The Hon. Wong Ting-kwong Chairman Bills Committee on Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill 2019 c/o Clerk to Bills Committee on Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill 2019 Legislative Council Secretariat Legislative Council Complex 1 Legislative Council Road Central, Hong Kong
Dear Mr Wong
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (“The Chamber”) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Government’s proposal to amend the Trade Marks Ordinance (Cap. 559) to enable the implementation in Hong Kong an international registration system of trade marks under the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (“Madrid Protocol”).
The Chamber supports the Government’s initiative to update our laws for the purpose of allowing Hong Kong to implement the Madrid Protocol. We believe that the extensive and growing network of member nations that are party to the Madrid Protocol is in itself a compelling reason for Hong Kong’s involvement as this would confer major time and cost savings to locally-based trade mark owners.
Implementing the Madrid Protocol would also be consistent with ongoing policy objectives of upgrading Hong Kong’s capabilities and standing as a regional hub for innovation and technology for which the protection of intellectual property represents a critical factor in incentivizing continuous investment in research and development, promoting commercialization and attracting investment, among other considerations. This would also have the virtuous effect of enhancing Hong Kong’s role as the preferred destination for deal making by leveraging on our strength as a leading provider of international legal services in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
We do not have comments on the various administrative and technical arrangements that have been put forward by the Government to update the Trade Marks Ordinance under the current legislative amendment exercise.
Your sincerely
Shirley Yuen
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