The criteria to join the "No Fakes" Pledge Scheme will be tightened in 2006, Director of Intellectual Property Stephen Selby says.

Speaking on a radio talk show, Mr Selby said the scheme encouraged participating retail merchants to set a good example by pledging not to sell or distribute counterfeit or pirated products, promoting honest and trustworthy trading practices.

To improve the scheme, the names of any member companies confirmed to have breached the scheme's code of ethics will be disclosed. The scheme's organisers and supporting parties will also keep a close watch on member companies' operations.

Mr Selby said the fact that the scheme had been adopted by several cities in Guangdong would help promote Mainlanders' awareness of piracy issues.

On copyright, he said enforcement and public education efforts to tackle the problem were ongoing, adding that annual surveys would be conducted and strategies devised according to survey results.

He pointed out the proposed revisions to the Copyright Ordinance were yet to be finalised. The Government will continue to solicit views on the issue and strive to strike a balance acceptable to both the trade and the public.