HK Coalition for Intellectual Property Rights   

Background

Intellectual property (IP) infringement has been and remains a serious problem for many Hong Kong enterprises, in particular for those operating in the Pearl River Delta region (PRD) and other major cities in China. Not only do these activities cut deep into the profit margins of companies, but they also fundamentally affect and damage their image. More than that, some counterfeit goods threaten consumers' health and safety.

The common practice among individual IP right holders is to combat counterfeiting single-handedly and individually. Making more difficult their tasks is China's complicated IPR regime. This complicated regime, in combination with the absence of a united voice and a coordinated approach to IPR protection, has so far made it very difficult, if not impossible, for IPR stakeholders to achieve the desired results. Individually, they simply have limited or no bargaining leverage, even to draw the attention of the government or the media to their plight. The Hong Kong Coalition for Intellectual Property Rights (HKCIPR) is intended to take up the duty and the responsibilities that the IPR stakeholders could not individually achieve.

Structure 

The HKCIPR is created under the umbrella of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI), a fully independent and statutory industrial organisation established in 1960 in Hong Kong. With around 3,000 corporate members, its mandate is to promote the interests of its members and their businesses. Over the past 20 years, the FHKI has also been providing IP services to local and overseas companies. Through its work and the FHKI network, it has accumulated an abundance of goodwill, with well-established, good and close relations with various levels of government both in Hong Kong and in the Mainland.

The HKCIPR is formed by sponsors and members. Its funding will be drawn from sponsorships and annual member-subscription fees. All companies registered in Hong Kong are welcome to the HKCIPR regardless of whether or not they are members of the FHKI.

Objectives 

The HKCIPR's broad objectives are as follows:

• To act and to function as a single, collective voice that reflects the views and concerns of its members to the relevant authorities in Hong Kong and China;
• To serve as a platform for the sharing and the exchange of information and experiences in anti-counterfeiting activities; and
• To advance IPR issues, and to promote the awareness of those issues to the public, the industries, and to governments.

Activities

The HKCIPR was inaugurated in March 2005. It organises a number of activities each year, and they include:

• IP missions including courtesy visits to and meetings with IP-related authorities in the PRD area and other major cities in China;
• IP seminars that cover a wide array of topics of interest to members;
• Lunch talks with IP experts or officials on practical IP issues;
• IP legal network in major cities in China;
• Asia IP summit;
• IP case report submissions to the relevant authorities in Hong Kong and China;
• IP conferences in China for promoting IPR protection co-organised with the Intellectual Property Office of different cities in China and the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department; and,
• Articles on IP topics will be submitted to the press, trade journals, and other media channels.

The HKCIPR, however, will not engage directly in combating counterfeiting activity or infringement lawsuits.

Benefits to Members

• Access to direct communication channels with the relevant authorities in Hong Kong and China;
• Access to new anti-counterfeiting technologies and information;
• Exclusive-to-member delegations in meetings with high level government IP officials;
• A collective voice to influence and to improve government IPR policies and practices;
• Access to an IP legal network in major cities in China;
• Free consultation services on IPR-related matters; and,
• For platinum and gold sponsors, free logo/brand name displays in the HKCIPR's public activities.

Joining the HKCIPR

All companies are welcome to join the HKCIPR as Sponsor or as Member. The fee schedule is given below:

Membership is renewed yearly upon payment of the annual fee. Companies which are not FHKI members are eligible to join the HKCIPR and the FHKI concurrently. They will receive a one-off FHKI membership fee discount of $1,000.

Enquiries

For further information, please contact:

Hong Kong Coalition for Intellectual Property Rights:

	For an application form, please click here.
	For a copy of the brochure, please click here.