Web check: Commissioner of Customs & Excise Timothy Tong samples the Intellectual Property Rights Protection Alliance website.

The time for verifying copyright holders and authorised users has shortened from eight weeks to four thanks to assistance from member organisations of the Intellectual Property Rights Protection Alliance.

Commissioner of Customs & Excise Timothy Tong said the alliance, set up in March, provided a more effective system in monitoring piracy and counterfeiting activities and increased public and trader awareness in intellectual property rights protection.

Speaking at the Intellectual Property Rights Protection Alliance Website Inauguration Ceremony today, Mr Tong said since the body's establishment, the department has detected 455 cases infringing intellectual property rights and prosecuted 475 people.

Infringing goods seizures amounted to $50 million, and the number of shops selling pirated disks has dropped from 80 in March to 67.

United front against fakes

With 11 new copyright or trademark holder organisations joining the alliance today, total membership has grown to 32.

Mr Tong said this has led to the solidification of the establishment in the fight against piracy and counterfeiting, and bolstered Hong Kong's image as a shopping paradise for genuine goods.

"With the further extension of the Individual Visit Scheme to an additional 32 cities on the Mainland, more visitors have come to Hong Kong," he said.

From January to August, about eight million Mainlanders visited Hong Kong, a 65% rise on the same period last year. Each spent an average of $6,000, injecting almost $50 billion into Hong Kong's economy.

"The endless stream of Mainland visitors have directly served as a promising platform for the development of local and international brands, and facilitated the introduction of those products into the huge Mainland market," Mr Tong said.

Stronger ties

The establishment of the IPRPA Website will boost co-operation between the department and the intellectual property industry.

The website not only provides a multi-media communication channel for the department and the industry, it creates a new platform of co-operation between both sides.