Customs & Excise Department (C&ED)
The Customs and Excise Department is the only department responsible for taking criminal sanctions against copyright and trademark infringements in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The Department has the mission to protect the interests of intellectual property rights (IPR) owners and legitimate traders through enforcement of the Copyright Ordinance, Chapter 528, Laws of Hong Kong, the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, Chapter 362 and the Prevention of Copyright Piracy Ordinance, Chapter 544 under the Laws of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society has been working closely with the Customs and Excise Department to set up the Reward Scheme which is financed HKRRLS and fully administered by the Hong Kong Customs.
The aim of the reward scheme is to encourage members of the public to provide information to Customs to combat copying service businesses (such as copy shops) involving in activities of making infringing copies of copyright work in books, and organisations involving in activities of making infringing copies of copyright work in books or periodicals for distribution without authorisation of the copyright owner for the purpose of trade/business to an extent leading to a financial loss to the copyright owner.
In addition, the Customs regularly organizes seminars and experience sharing session for the publishing industry to
introduce the procedures for reporting pirated books / printed copyright works and online infringement cases, as well as explaining the enforcement actions against illegal photocopying activities, pirated books and online infringement.
The Customs and Excise Department