The Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society (HKRRLS) marked its 30th Anniversary with a dinner held on 12 January 2026, bringing together representatives from government departments, the education sector, different collaborative partners, licensing bodies, as well as the publishing and printing industries. More than one hundred guests joined the celebration to commemorate this important milestone.

The evening opened with welcoming remarks by Mr Ponch Poon, Chairman of HKRRLS, and Dr Sharon Wong, Executive Director, followed by addresses from Mr David Wong, Director of the Intellectual Property Department; Mr Mark Woo, Deputy Commissioner (Control and Enforcement) of the Customs and Excise Department; and Mr Kenneth Fok, Member of the Legislative Council (Sports, Performing Arts, Culture and Publication Functional Constituency). The speakers reaffirmed HKRRLS’s long-standing contributions to advancing copyright licensing and protection.

From an international perspective, the dinner was honoured to feature a video message from Ms Anita Huss-Ekerhult, Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO). In addition, Ms Sarah Tran, Director of Regional Policy and Public Affairs at IFRRO, attended in person and shared insights on “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Development on Copyright Licensing”, fostering meaningful dialogue with industry stakeholders.

The programme also included sharing sessions by award-winning students of the “Hong Kong Inter-school Respect Copyright Competition”, as well as the presentation of “Long Service Awards” to recognise directors who have made dedicated contributions to the Society over the years.

Looking ahead, HKRRLS will continue to serve as an important bridge for the publishing sector. The Society remains committed to responding proactively to the challenges and opportunities brought by technological development, promoting respect for and protection of intellectual property, and supporting Hong Kong’s development as a regional intellectual property trading hub.

Dr. Sharon Wong, Executive Director of HKRRLS and Vice-Chair of the Asia Pacific Committee of IFRRO, was honoured to attended the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO) World Congress and General Assembly 2025, hosted by the Copyright Licensing and Administration Society of Singapore (CLASS) from October 28th to 30th 2025. Approximately 170 delegates from across 80 countries worldwide, including guests from international organisations such as WIPO and UNESCO, were in attendance for the event.

With discussions held on the various areas affecting authors, publishers and the wider literary works community, the Congress proved to be thought-provoking, providing attendees fresh insights into copyright developments on an international scale. The many advancements in Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) technology also added depth to the several dialogue sessions held on the ethical, legal and licensing issues on copyright matters.

Dr. Sharon Wong had delivered two presentations at the event. She introduced “The Promotion for Local Publications and Reading Culture Programme” in Hong Kong. She explored strategies to foster a high-quality reading culture in Hong Kong while supporting the local publishing industry and authors. In another presentation, Dr. Wong examined the adaptation of IP ecosystem frameworks to respond to artificial intelligence (AI) advancements. It aims to safeguard the rights of authors and publishers while fostering innovation to address the evolving landscape of AI development.

The IP Roundtable was successfully held on 17 July 2025 at HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair. This event was hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), co-organised by HKRRLS and supported by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) of HKSAR.

The panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Sharon Wong, Executive Director of HKRRLS and Vice Chair of Asia Pacific Committee (APC), explored the topic of “A Forward-Looking Copyright Framework – How to Balance Interests Between Innovation and IP Protection”.

We were honoured to have distinguished panelists to share the practices from different regions, examining the adaptation of their IP ecosystem frameworks to respond to AI advancements. The panel discussion featured five distinguished speakers, including Majd Hassan Al Shehhi, Director of The Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association (ERRA); Sarah Tran, Head of Regional Policy and Public Affairs of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO); Andrew Fong, CEO of the Copyright Licensing and Administration Society of Singapore (CLASS); Toshimichi Ishijima, Secretary General of the Japan Academic Association for Copyright Clearance (JAC); and James Bennett, Head of Rightsholder Relations of The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA).

HKRRLS was honored to be invited to attend the “International Seminar on Copyright Protection in the Digital Age” at Beijing on 23 June 2025. This event was jointly organized by the Copyright Society of China (CSC), the International Federation of Reprographic Rights Organisations (IFRRO), the China Written Works Copyright Society (CWWCS), and the International Publishers Copyright Protection Coalition in China (IPCC). The seminar was opened by speeches from Zhao Jie, Deputy Director of the Copyright Administration Bureau of the PRC and Yan Xiaohong, Chairman of the CSC. Dr. Sharon Wong, Executive Director of HKRRLS delivered the keynote speech titled “Advocating for Rightsholders in the AI Era”. This seminar reflected the country’s strong emphasis on copyright system development and international cooperation in the digital era.

The Award Presentation and Closing Ceremony of the “2024/25 Hong Kong Inter-School Respect Copyright Education Campaign”, organized by the HKRRLS and co-organized by the IPD and the C&ED, was successfully held on 21 June 2025.

HKRRLS has been organizing a large-scale Hong Kong Inter-school Respect Copyright Education Campaign since 2007, with the aim of fostering students’ creativity, understanding of the creative industry and the importance of respecting copyright. In the 2024-2025 school year, we organized the 10th Copyright Education Campaign.

This year, we have also introduced a new award for “Innovation and Copyright Protection” to encourage interest in emerging technologies and highlight the importance of protecting creative works.

A total of 22 organizations were invited to be the supporting organizations for this year’s campaign, with special thanks for the support of Education Bureau, all the school councils, The Hong Kong Association for Computer Education, Hong Kong Education City, Hong Kong Publishing Federation, The Hong Kong Association of Professional Education Publishing Limited, Customs YES, Hong Kong Teacher-Librarians’ Association , Hong Kong Information Technology Industry Council (Group 25) and Education Committee of Federation of Hong Kong Industries, The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education, Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation, Rotary Club of Hong Kong and Rotaract Club of The University of Hong Kong. Rotary Club of Hong Kong and Rotaract Club of The University of Hong Kong sent student performers to add to the splendor of the ceremony.

Thanks to the support of the community, the campaign of this year has attracted more than 3,300 student submissions from 470 schools, an increase of approximately 200 schools from last year.

Once again, we would like to thank the co-organizers and supporting organizations, guests, panel of judges, IP Stars, as well as students and parents for attending the ceremony.

“The Role of Recordation Examiner and Copyright Enforcement Case Sharing” co-hosted by the Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society and the Hong Kong Customs & Excise Department took place successfully on 26 May 2025. Representatives from the Customs & Excise Department explained the procedures for reporting copyright infringement and shared real-life cases during the seminar. In addition, a mock court session was included to give participants a deeper understanding of the judicial process in handling such cases and to demonstrate techniques for witnesses.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Hong Kong Customs & Excise Department for their in-depth exchanges and sharing, which have enhanced the industry’s understanding of copyright enforcement and demonstrated a strong commitment to combating infringement.

In collaboration with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and with the Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society (HKRRLS) serving as the implementing organisation, the ” The Promotion of Local Publications and Reading Culture Programme ” (referred to as the “Promotion Programme”) has entered its sixth year. On 8 April 2025, HKRRLS hosted an industry briefing session on the Electronic Distribution and Payment System to present system upgrades, new electronic payment features, and their applications, paving the way for digitalized catalogue management and funding processes.

HKRRLS extends its heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Derek LEE, Convener and Programme Implementation Committee member of the “Promotion Programme”; Dr. Elvin LEE, Programme Implementation Committee member and President of the Hong Kong Publishing Federation; Mr. William SO, Programme Implementation Committee member and President of the Hong Kong Book & Magazine Trade Association; and Dr. Sharon WONG, Executive Director of HKRRLS, for their in-depth exchanges with industry participants and addressing related questions.

HKRRLS also expresses its sincere appreciation to all publishers and authors for their unwavering support, empowering the embrace of digital transformation and driving the collective promotion of a high-quality reading culture in Hong Kong.