Quick action: The Customs & Excise Department and the Brands Protection Alliance have erected a booth at the Electronics Fair to take immediate action against copyright infringement.

The Customs & Excise Department has launched its 'fast action scheme', which will allow it to take swift enforcement action within 24 hours against intellectual property rights infringement activities at major exhibitions.

The scheme was put into action at the Electronics Fair today.

Brands Protection Alliance members have started to file their products' intellectual property rights information with the alliance's database. When suspected infringement activity is found during an exhibition, Customs can use the database to enhance investigation efficiency. A booth has been erected at the exhibition venue to take immediate follow up action on reports received.

After the inaugural run of the scheme, Customs will review with the alliance the operational arrangements.

More than 80 major exhibitions are held in Hong Kong each year, and speedy investigation is critical to suppressing infringement activities as most exhibitions are only held for several days.

Customs has cracked down 10 intellectual property rights infringement cases involving exhibitions so far this year, arresting 11 people. Last year saw nine cases and nine people caught.