Report

Chapter 2 : Short-Term Patent System (50 submissions received)
6. What benefits does the short-term patent system bring to Hong Kong? Does it promote local innovations?
examination) such as utility models or petty patent systems in other countries.
Nigel Lee thinks that the system is important to SMEs and individual inventors for a
quick and non-expensive route to obtain a patent as well as priority right and would
help nurture local innovation at their infant stage.
Kam Wah Law believes the short-term patent system can promote local innovation,
just as other countries with a utility model patent system believe that their systems
promote local innovation.
Sam Yip is of the view that the short-term patent system provides a fast and
affordable system for protecting simple inventions or innovative products that have
a short market lifespan.
Benny Kong thinks the system fits the needs of most, if not all, SMEs.
A respondent notes that the short-term patent system is useful for SMEs to obtain a
quick filing date cost-effectively and is widely used by SMEs. It therefore does
promote local innovations.
6.6 Others
HKPC
HKPC notes that the short-term patent system provides a fast and relatively
inexpensive way of registering a patent and is beneficial to protecting inventions
with a short life cycle in the market. Also, Hong Kong short-term patents provide
the privilege of claiming priority under the Paris Convention. The short-term
patent system fits well to the fast business environment of Hong Kong and plays an
important role in creation, commercialisation and enforcement of patent rights.
126