12 November 2018
The 17th Meeting of the Guangdong/Hong Kong Expert Group on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights was held in Guangzhou on August 21. The Expert Group agreed to further strengthen cooperation, reinforce existing accomplishments, continue to promote the development of IP trading and high-end service industry, foster regional scientific research achievements and innovative developments, and promote the further development of IP cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong through embracing the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area development.
Cooperation projects of the Expert Group for 2018-19 cover the following seven areas:
• Enhancing cooperation mechanisms on IP between Guangdong and Hong Kong;
• Strengthening cooperation on IP in the Bay Area;
• Reinforcing cooperation on protection of IP in both places;
• Promoting cooperation on IP trading in both places;
• Promoting exchange and deliberation on IP in both places; • Strengthening guidance service on IP in both places; and
• Organizing IP promotion and education activities in both places.
At the meeting, the two sides reviewed the cooperation projects completed in the past year. With respect to promoting IP cooperation in the Bay Area, the Expert Group explored the cooperation opportunities in the Bay Area through organizing various activities, including exchange activities in relation to arbitration and mediation, a seminar with the theme of “Brand Development of Classic Old Shops/Time-honoured Brands,” exchange activities organized in the Hengqin area of the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone with the theme of “Supporting Young Entrepreneurs through High-end IP Services,” and production of short promotional videos about IP commercialization in the Bay Area.
Other completed projects include organizing the Guangdong/Hong Kong Seminar on IP and Development of Small and Medium Enterprises; inviting Expert Group members and enterprises from the Guangdong side to attend the Business of IP Asia Forum co-organized by the Hong Kong government, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Design Centre; organizing exchange programmes relating to IP protection and exploitation; and organizing promotion and education activities targeting the youth in both places.
Key cooperation projects in the coming year include continuing to promote the development of IP trading in both places; enhancing the level and efficiency of commercialization of scientific research achievements; organizing a high-end IP symposium in the Bay Area; promoting settlement of IP disputes by arbitration or mediation; promoting collaboration of training institutes in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau on nurturing IP talents; continuing to promote the opportunities of IP commercialization in the Bay Area through producing short videos; and facilitating sharing of IP information.
As for cross-border protection on IP, law enforcement authorities in Guangdong and Hong Kong combated cross-border infringing activities through various cooperation mechanisms, including intelligence exchange, sharing of information resources, joint operations and project cooperation. In the coming year, Customs of both places will continue to focus on combating infringing activities destined for Hong Kong or for the Belt and Road countries through Hong Kong. The two sides will mount other joint project operations in a timely manner according to changing situations.
The Expert Group was established after the Sixth Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference in August 2003. It aims at enhancing exchanges and cooperation on various aspects of IP protection, including promotion and education, training, enforcement, research study and information dissemination.
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