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Energy efficiency meeting held

Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan today attended the 60th Meeting of the Expert Group on Energy Efficiency & Conservation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held in Hong Kong.   In his welcome speech, Mr Tse said that Hong Kong was honoured to host the meeting again after 2019 and 2020 to provide a platform for direct dialogue among APEC partners.   “It is encouraging to see over 50 experts and delegates from 11 APEC member economies as well as four international organisations gather again to share insights and exchange experiences with their counterparts after the stabilisation of the epidemic.”   As the Asia-Pacific region develops, its energy demand and consumption would continue to increase, which may lead to an increase in emissions of greenhouse gases, he pointed out.   To achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government published Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 in 2021, outlining the st
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Patent granted under new system

The Intellectual Property Department's Patents Registry granted the first standard patent under the original grant patent (OGP) system this week, within 14 months after the application was filed.   Launched in December 2019, the OGP system creates a direct route for innovators to seek standard patent protection in Hong Kong with a maximum term of 20 years, providing an alternative to the existing re-registration route.   Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau said: “It's an exciting moment to see the granting of the first-ever standard patent by original grant.   “It is a milestone in the development of Hong Kong's patent system, which is a key component of the intellectual property (IP) protection infrastructure and one of the important elements for the development of innovation and technology.”   The fact that a standard patent can be obtained directly in Hong Kong without first going through the registration process outside the city provides a convenient, direct and expeditious route for patent applicants and helps attract and facilitate more such applications, Mr Yau noted.   He added it also demonstrates the efficiency and efficacy of the city's patent system.   “The Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic & Social Development of the People's Republic of China & the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 affirms the Central People's Government's support for the future development of Hong Kong in a wide spectrum of areas, including raising for the first time the support for Hong Kong to develop into a regional IP trading centre and an international I&T hub. We are equipping ourselves to leverage these new opportunities.”   Mr Yau pointed out that the launch and continued development of the OGP system is one of the strategic measures that the Government is pursuing to ensure that the local patent system advances with the times and meets the needs of the city's I&T and creative industries.   The invention of the first standard patent by original grant relates to the use of artificial intelligence to manage inventory in an e-commerce system.   As of May 31, the registry received 426 OGP applications, of which 33% were submitted by local residents or enterprises and 67% were from non-local applicants.   Click here for details of the OGP system.
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