LegCo Paper No. CB(1)1429/96-97(02)

Method and Response of the Public Consultation
on the Draft Registered Designs Bill

Method

We issued in early December 1996 a draft Registered Designs Bill and a consultation paper to about 60 organisations, including the design industry, chambers of commerce, design users in the relevant sectors, academic institutions, the legal profession and practitioners. The consultation paper and the draft Bill were also placed on the Internet.

2. A public seminar was held on 16 December 1996 to explain and clarify the provisions of the draft Bill. About 30 representatives from 20 organisations attended the seminar.

3. A special session with the Hong Kong Bar Association was also held on 30 January 1997 to discuss the Bar Association’s comments on the draft Bill.

4. We briefed the Legislative Council Panel on Trade and Industry on 14 January 1997 on the draft Bill. Panel Members made no comments on the draft Bill.

5. In response to Hon Mrs Selina Chow’s suggestion at the Bills Committee meeting on 17 April 1997, we briefed a group of designers on the gazetted Bill on 24 April 1997.

6. In addition, a luncheon seminar organised by the Hong Kong Designers’ Association will be held on 3 May 1997 for the Administration to explain and clarify the provisions in the gazetted Bill to the designers and to solicit any further comments from them. At present, more than 40 designers from various industries have expressed interests in joining the seminar.

Response

7. Comments received on the draft Bill during the public consultation period have, as far as possible, been reflected in the gazetted Bill.

Trade and Industry Branch
April 1997

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