SIPO & HK IPD Sign Cooperation Arrangement on Patent System
On 6 December 2013, the Cooperation Arrangement in the Area of Patent in Hong Kong was signed between the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of China and the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) of Hong Kong, represented respectively by Mr. Tian Lipu, Commissioner of SIPO (right in the picture above) and Mr. Peter Cheung, Director of IPD (left) under the witness of Mr. Gregory So, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of Hong Kong (centre).
The signing ceremony was conducted during the Business of IP Asia Forum held in Hong Kong. According to the arrangement, SIPO will provide technical assistance and support to IPD for substantive examination of patent applications and training of staff in connection with the original grant patent (OGP) system to be implemented in Hong Kong.
The introduction of an OGP system was recommended in an advisory committee report released in February 2013 on future positioning of Hong Kong's patent system with a view to foster development of Hong Kong into a regional innovation and technology hub, and a premier IP trading hub.
The new patent system is scheduled to be implemented in 2016-17, subject to the progress of legislative and other preparatory work.
(Source: HK IPD press release dated 6 December 2013)
