2025 Guangdong/Hong Kong Seminar on Intellectual Property and Development of Small and Medium Enterprises held in Jiangmen
The 2025 Guangdong/Hong Kong Seminar on Intellectual Property (IP) and Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), entitled "Challenges of IP Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)", was held today (November 18) in Jiangmen to explore the impacts and challenges that AI technology development poses to IP protection within the innovation ecosystem. The seminar aimed to enhance the awareness, protection and efficient use of IP among Hong Kong SMEs in Guangdong Province and Mainland enterprises and assist them in formulating effective IP strategies suitable for the AI era, thereby enabling enterprises to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the development of the digital economy to expand in the national and global markets. It was attended by over 200 representatives of SMEs and IP practitioners, as well as government officials from Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the seminar, the Director of Intellectual Property, Mr David Wong, said that the seminar was a significant milestone in the long and sustained efforts of the IP authorities of the two places in strengthening exchanges and collaborations in various areas over the last two decades, jointly enhancing the level of IP protection and management in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Mr Wong briefed the participants on Hong Kong's latest initiatives in promoting the development of IP, including the formulation of an amendment proposal for the Copyright Ordinance and a relevant code of practice regarding the protection for AI technology development, the review of the local registered designs regime, and the introduction of a series of measures to assist pilot sectors in leveraging IPs for financing. Such measures would further reinforce Hong Kong's position as a regional IP trading centre and an international innovation and technology centre, and assist in accelerating the country's development of new quality productive forces.
Speakers presented and shared their insights on various topics at the seminar, namely "IP issues in the era of large models: Perspectives from data and algorithms", "Leveraging IP strategies: Win‑win practices for SMEs and multinational corporations", "Legal practice in AI: Focusing on IP issues and analysis of user agreement templates", and "The future of data and knowledge: Innovation and practices of IP empowering corporate AI strategies".
Since 2004, Guangdong and Hong Kong have co-organised a number of activities to promote the importance of IP protection and exploitation among SMEs. The seminar was a key co-operation item under the framework of the Guangdong/Hong Kong Expert Group on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights, and was jointly organised by the Intellectual Property Department (IPD), the Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation (Guangdong Intellectual Property Administration), the Jiangmen Municipal People's Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council; undertaken by the Jiangmen Administration for Market Regulation (Jiangmen Intellectual Property Administration); and co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The event was also supported by members of the Expert Group and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries.
Details of the seminar are available on the IPD's website (www.ipd.gov.hk).
Photo source: The official website of Intellectual Property Department
Re-launch of Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works in New Territories Exempted Houses
Following the direction of earlier proposals, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (April 1) the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works (UBWs) in New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs). The reporting period will last for one year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
"In view of the history and unique circumstances of the NTEHs (commonly known as village houses), the Government launched a one-off administrative reporting scheme in 2012 as a special arrangement. Under the scheme, owners could report to the BD about UBWs that were erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law. The reporting period ended in December 2012. The Development Bureau (DEVB) put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy for handling UBWs. The DEVB also pointed out that in response to the views of villagers and Legislative Council members that the reporting period was too short, the Government prepared to re-launch the Reporting Scheme to allow owners who at that time did not report their UBWs to do so," a spokesman for the BD said.
Relevant stakeholders and Legislative Council members generally considered the above proposals practical and feasible, and they welcomed the proposals. The DEVB and the BD have also consulted Heung Yee Kuk on the relevant implementation arrangements.
The re-launched Reporting Scheme will maintain the original criteria, including:
(1) The types of UBWs that can be reported and their erection dates are the same as the original Reporting Scheme, meaning that only UBWs erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law and were not the First Round Targets (Note) are eligible. Examples include signboards projecting from the external walls of village houses; enclosed rooftop structures with a coverage of not more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area of the main building.
(2) Same as the original Reporting Scheme, owners are required to conduct safety inspections on the reported UBWs every five years.
"The BD will not require the immediate removal of the reported UBWs unless their structures become obviously dangerous. Regarding UBWs in village houses, the BD is prioritising the handling of First Round Targets. If any relevant UBWs remain not reported after the application deadline of March 31, 2027, the BD will, after dealing with the First Round Targets, take priority enforcement action against the non-reported UBWs. The BD will formulate enforcement strategy for the reported UBWs at a later stage in accordance with the risks and the actual situation," the spokesman added.
To enhance the efficiency of processing applications, reports must be submitted via the electronic platform on the BD's website by technically competent persons or registered professional engineers appointed by owners. In accordance with the user-pays principle, an administrative fee of $600 is payable for each application. Upon successful reports, owners must also pay the relevant administrative fee when conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years.
Details of the re-launched Reporting Scheme are available on the BD's website at https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/safety-inspection/ubw/UBW-in-new-territories-exempted-houses/index_relaunch_reporting_scheme.html; Villagers who wish to report can call 2626 1616 for enquiry. The BD will also use different channels such as distributing leaflets and posters to Rural Committees to enable villagers to know more about the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme.
Owners who had successfully participated in the Reporting Scheme in 2012 are not required to submit reports again. However, they must continue to comply with the requirements of the original Reporting Scheme, including conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years, submitting safety certificates and paying administrative fees to the BD.
Note: The First Round Targets refer to UBWs with higher potential risks and more serious nature, such as village houses of four storeys or more, and enclosed rooftop structures covering more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area.
Source: AI-found images
