Our Managing Partner Alan Chiu, Partner Valerie Suen, Patent Agent (PRC) 张嘉辰, and Trainee Solicitor Kyle Matthew Yu Chan have co‑authored an article examining the Hong Kong SAR Government’s recent public consultation on the review of the Registered Designs Ordinance (Cap. 522).

The article explains key proposals to modernise Hong Kong’s designs framework, including shifting the definition of “design” from features applied to an article to the appearance of a product (so as to capture lines, contours, colours, texture, movement and animations), proposing expanded protection for virtual designs, adopting a designer‑friendly default ownership rule for commissioned designs, and introducing a 12‑month grace period for public disclosure in line with major jurisdictions. These initiatives aim to better reflect the realities of the digital economy, provide greater legal certainty for commercialisation of design works, and support Hong Kong’s role as a leading IP hub in Asia.

Read the full article to find out how these potential reforms could reshape design protection and IP strategy for businesses and designers in Hong Kong.