Initial registration will be for 10 years (instead of the current 7 years) with renewals for the same period (instead of the current 14 years).

Registration may be revoked if the trade mark has become generic or misleading or if there has been five consecutive years' non-use. The Bill transfers the burden to the trade mark owner to prove that the mark has been used if a non-use case is raised.

Further information on the above may be obtained via Linklaters & Paines Hong Kong office or via any of the other nine Linklaters & Paines offices world-wide, located in Singapore, Tokyo, London, Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt, New York, Washington D.C. and Moscow. Contact details for the various L&P offices worldwide are available via the Linklaters & Paines corporate listing c/o Business Monitor Online - http://www.businessmonitor.co.uk

c Linklaters & Paines 1997 - Tel +852 2842 4888