Hong Kong is considered as one of the finest places to set up a business, as it scores high on factors that matter to businesses. Strategic location, productive work-force, stable economic and political environment, attractive tax regime, pro-business environment. Unlike many other countries who put a lot of restrictions on foreigners to open a business, China welcomes foreign entrepreneurs and business owners to develop their businesses in Hong Kong and provides them with the tools to grow successfully with little stress in the registry process of the business.
Securing a trademark is the most important part of starting out your business venture in Hong Kong. It is illegal and punishable by law to use this symbol if your trademark has not been registered in Hong Kong. The use of the ® symbol is essential in order to be able to present legal actions or remedies against a third party that uses a trademark without the owner’s consent. It is better to register a trademark in Hong Kong with the government before you use it.
The Option of Registering Trademark in Hong Kong–
International business experts are of the opinion that, registering trademark in Hong Kong is a clever business decision. An application to register a trademark can be made online or it can be filed physically with the Trade Marks Registry, Intellectual Property Department, the Government of the Hong Kong SAR.
Hong Kong Trademark Registration Process Explained–
All the applications of registering a trademark in Hong Kong are governed by the Trade Mark Ordinance. Applications and registration are dealt with by the Trade Marks Registry. In addition to your personal contact details, an application typically consists of:
- A completed application form, including the class(es) of trademark within which you are applying for registration
- A clear image of the trademark concerned
- Specifications of the goods and services to be covered by the application
- Any claim for priority consideration of your application
What is the difference between ™ and ®?
The ® symbol can be used for registered trademarks only. Unregistered trademarks may use the ™ symbol but not the ® symbol.
Priority Document-
The priority document is not required in case of claiming priority. However, the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) of Hong Kong may request its submission. When the priority document is not in Chinese or English, the applicant is required to provide a Chinese or English translation.
An online search system provided by the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department allows individuals to search existing trademarks, patents and designs. Registering trademarks in Hong Kong is technically somewhat easier than in mainland-China as the product specifications do not need to follow any standardized list.