Legislative Council

LC Paper No. LS 55/98-99

Date of Tabling in LegCo	:	11 November 1998
Amendment to be made by	:	9 December 1998 (or 16 December 1998 if extended by resolution)

Registered Designs Ordinance (Cap. 522)
Registered Designs Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule) Regulation 1998 (L.N. 340)

The Schedule to the Registered Design Ordinance (Cap. 522) contains lists of Paris Convention Countries and World Trade Organization Members.

This Regulation updates the lists of countries which have acceded to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and countries, territories and areas which have acceded to the World Trade Organization Agreement.

Members may refer to the LegCo Brief (Ref: TIB 80/18/2) issued by the Trade and Industry Bureau in November 1998 for further details.

Patents Ordinance (Cap. 514)
Patents Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 1998 (L.N. 341)

Schedule 1 to the Patents Ordinance (Cap. 514) contains lists of Paris Convention Countries and World Trade Organization Members Countries, Territories and Areas.

This Order updates the lists of countries which have acceded to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and countries, territories and areas which have acceded to the World Trade Organization Agreement.

Members may refer to the LegCo Brief (Ref: TIB 80/18/2) issued by the Trade and Industry Bureau in November 1998 for further details.

Trade Marks Ordinance (Cap. 43)
Trade Marks Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule) Order 1998 (L.N. 342)

The Schedule to the Trade Marks Ordinance (Cap. 43) is a list of countries which have acceded to the Paris Convention and countries, territories and areas which have acceded to the World Trade Organization Agreement.

This Order updates the list of countries which have acceded to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and countries, territories and areas which have acceded to the World Trade Organization Agreement.

Members may refer to the LegCo Brief (Ref: TIB 80/18/2) issued by the Trade and Industry Bureau in November 1998 for further details.

Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 1)
Specification of Public Offices (L.N. 343)

The effect of this Notice is to enable the Director of Intellectual Property to delegate to other public officers the powers and duties of the office of the Director of Intellectual Property proper and his powers and duties as the Registrar of Trade Marks, the Registrar of Patents and the Registrar of Designs under the legislation listed in the Schedule to this Notice.

Members may refer to the LegCo Brief (Ref: TIB 80/18/3) issued by the Trade & Industry Bureau in November 1998 for background information.

Professional Accountants Ordinance (Cap. 50)
Professional Accountants (Amendment) Bylaw 1998 (L. N. 344)

This Bylaw is made by the Hong Kong Society of Accountants ("HKSA") under section 8 of the Professional Accountants Ordinance (Cap. 50) with the approval of the Chief Executive in Council.

The purpose of the amendment is to raise the minimum pre-entry education requisite for registration as students of the HKSA from the current General Certificate of Education 'Advanced' Level to accountancy degree level with effect from 1 January 1999 and to prescribe new requirements for students who wish to enrol in the HKSA's new examinations.

According to paragraph 14 of the LegCo Brief (Ref: C10/1/1 (96) Pt. 14) issued by the Financial Services Bureau dated 5 November 1998, members and registered students of the HKSA, tertiary educational institutions, leading accountancy bodies overseas and major accounting firms have been consulted on these proposals. The proposal for graduate entry has overwhelming support from these bodies.

Legal Practitioners Ordinance (Cap. 159)
Practising Certificate (Solicitors) (Amendment) Rules 1998 (L. N. 345)

These Rules amend the Practising Certificate (Solicitors) Rules (Cap. 159 sub. leg.) by decreasing the fee payable for a solicitor's practising certificate from $8,400 to $7,400. The last fee revision was made in November 1997 (see L.N.539 of 1997).


Prepared by

Ho Ying-chu, Anita
Assistant Legal Adviser
Legislative Council Secretariat
9 November 1998