Intellectual property rights (IPRs) refer to legal protections granted to individuals or entities for their creations or inventions. These rights enable the creators to have exclusive control over their intellectual property, preventing others from using or reproducing it without permission.
Hong Kong has a comprehensive legal framework for the protection of intellectual property rights. The rights granted include patents, trademarks, registered designs, unregistered designs, copyright, and confidential information.
Patents grant inventors exclusive rights over their inventions, allowing them to prevent others from making, using, or selling their patented inventions without authorization. In Hong Kong, the Patents Ordinance provides a legal framework to safeguard patented inventions.
Trademarks play a crucial role in distinguishing the goods and services of one business from another. In Hong Kong, the Trade Marks Ordinance ensures the registration and protection of trademarks, granting exclusive rights to their owners and preventing unauthorized use.
Copyright safeguards original artistic, literary, musical, and dramatic works, as well as computer software, sound recordings, and films. Hong Kong’s Copyright Ordinance protects creators by granting them exclusive rights over their works, including reproduction, distribution, and public performance.