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香港商标注册制度非常类似于英国和美国制度。许多企业主可能会认为一旦他们申请了香港商标注册，其徽标或品牌就会受到保护。但是，事实却不尽相同，在香港申请商标注册后，您的徽标或品牌只受到地域保护，这意味着您不在香港以外的地方受到保护。我们建议企业家和创业者考虑向有商业交易的国家、客户和供应商申请商标注册，以便在世界范围内得到充分保护。
如果您的商标或品牌需要法律保护，而您在其他国家有业务往来、供应商和客户，我们建议您在每个想要保护的国家单独注册商标。
香港商标注册和中国商标注册有什么区别？
根据中国《商标法》，商标注册采用先备案的方式。这种方法意味着商标授权第一方进行注册，而不考虑先前使用的证据。为了防止商标抢注，确保您拥有专有商标权。 Centre O强烈建议您尽快采取预防措施，以保护徽标或商标。
申请商标注册时需要什么信息？
商业登记证
申请人身份证复印件
商标注册国家
商标类别
商品/服务详情
商标徽标的完整详细信息
如想了解更多信息，请与我们联系。
您可能想要了解：了解中国知识产权保护 – 商标第 1 部分
香港实行普通法。除香港税收制度外，税务局还发布了与税收相关指南有关的部门和操作说明（DIPN）。同时，鉴于中国执行大陆法，税收法规也遵循了法院的先例，但是，税收法规是由4个不同的部门制定的。
全国人民代表大会关于企业所得税的税收制度
国务院企业所得税管理实施委员会
财政部税收政策司
国家税务总局实施和运行条例
办理特殊案件的其他税收构成
例如，含增值税（VAT）的情况不受官方税收条例的约束。目前共有3个部门正在暂不办理增值税，具体如下：
国务院暂予执行
财政部暂予执行
国家税务总局贯彻执行本条例
税收法规的地方化
中央政府授权地方政府制定地方税收法规。例如，房地产税。
房地产税规定
房地产税的百分比各不相同。例如，各省、自治区、直辖市的地方政府有权制定自己的税率，并且税率必须提交财政部。
例如，您以人民币1000万元购买了一家工厂。深圳和上海的房地产税税率不同，税款的计算如下：
深圳：人民币10,000,000元x 1.2％x（1-30％）=84,000元人民币
上海：人民币10,000,000元x 1.2％x（1-20％）=96,000元人民币
因此，在深圳买工厂比从上海买便宜。
折现率
除房地产税外，地方政府还可以建立自己的房地产税贴现率。从上面的例子来看，深圳和上海分别有20%和30%的折扣。
如想了解更多信息，请与我们联系。
您可能想要了解：中国税收与外国投资者的香港税收
Hong Kong implements Common Law. In addition to Hong Kong tax system, the Inland Revenue department launched the Departmental and Practice Notes (DIPNs) regarding to the tax related guideline. At the same time, tax regulations also follow the court precedents. Whereas, China implements Continental Law. However, the tax regulations are being set up by 4 different departments.
For instance, the situation with Value Added Tax (VAT)is not under to the official taxation regulation. Altogether, 3 departments are working on VAT temporarily as below:
The Central Government has delegated the Local Government to formulating local tax regulation. For example, the Real Estate Tax.
The percentage of the Real Estate Tax varies. For instance, the local government of difference Provinces, Administration Regions and Municipalities have their rights to establish their own tax rates. And the tax rate are required to file to the Ministry of Finance.
For example, you purchased a factory with RMB 10 million. The percentage of the Real Estate Tax in Shenzhen and Shanghai are different. The calculation of the tax is as below:
Shenzhen: RMB10,000,000 x 1.2% x (1-30%) = RMB84,000
Shanghai: RMB10,000,000 x 1.2% x (1-20%) = RMB96,000
As a results, it’s cheaper to purchase the factory in Shenzhen than from Shanghai.
In addition to the Real Estate Tax, the local government are allowed to establish their own discount rates on the Real Estate Tax. From the above example, there is a discount of 20% or 30% off comparing between Shenzhen and Shanghai respectively.
For further information, please contact us.
You may want to read: CHINA TAXATION VS HONG KONG TAXATION FOR FOREIGN INVESTORS
Centre O has written a blog highlighted China Taxation System before. China and Hong Kong taxation are two completely different system. In order to have better understanding on what taxes are you needing to pay within China, we are going to illustrate the differences between the China and Hong Kong.
Contrary to Hong Kong, VAT is applied in China for any sales and provision of goods and services, sales of intangible assets or immovable properties,
In Hong Kong, it’s commonly named as Profit Tax, for 2019 to 2020, Profit Tax rate in Hong Kong is 8.25%, whereas, taxable income for companies in China are named as Corporate Income Tax.
This is named as Salary Tax in Hong Kong, which has to be reported to the Inland Revenue Department yearly by individuals including any of their incomes including, salaries, commissions, allowances. Hence, in China, it’s named as Individual Income Tax, which is commonly deducted from employee’s salary monthly.
Excise tax does not applied in Hong Kong. Consequently, any luxury goods, tobacco, alcohol and non-environmental friendly products commonly have exercise tax applied.
Without a doubt, both Hong Kong and China charges stamp duties for contracts and any taxable articles. like all other countries.
Ownership of properties is named as Real Estate Tax in China, while we address it as Rates in Hong Kong.
Again, this is called Rates in Hong Kong, while in China, we address it as Urban and Township Land Use Tax.
On the whole, other than tobacco and alcohol, there is no import tax applied when importing goods into Hong Kong.
Unlike China, there are tariff applied for all imported goods.
Overall, for both Hong Kong and China, where there is a transfer of ownership of properties or land use, there is a Deed Tax in China and a Stamp Duty paid for in Hong Kong.
It should be noted that Land Appreciation Tax is applied in China only.
Urban Maintenance and Construction Tax is only applied in China.
To sum up, Hong Kong taxation is much more simple than China taxation system.
For further information, please contact us.
You may want to read: CHINA TAXATION SYSTEM HIGHLIGHT FOR INVESTORS FROM OVERSEAS
政府拨款5,000 万港元用于人力需求管理零售技术采用援助计划（ReTAAS），以帮助香港的零售业。遵循此计划，采用相关信息和通信技术以及其他有助于管理零售人力需求的技术。
目的
ReTAAS旨在为零售企业提供资金支持。协助零售业采用新技术处理人力需求管理，最终提升零售企业的生产力。
项目工期
每个获批的项目需要在 6 个月的时间内完成。
资格
根据《商业登记条例》在香港注册的公司；
在香港开展实质性零售业务；
所有非上市企业；
所有非餐饮企业。
经营方式
经营模式灵活，但零售店的位置也很灵活。例如，街边商店、购物中心、楼上商店、网上商店、百货公司柜台或展台。
资助金额
每家企业累计资助上限为50,000港币。因此，申请人最多可申请 2 个单一项目。 ReTAAS 包括信息和技术费用，也包括硬件和软件。公司可以购买现有的现成程序以满足其业务需求。另一方面，预算有限的公司，可以先申请初始资金， ReTAAS 最多可提供已批准项目总成本的 50% 的资金。
资助范围
该基金用于与项目相关的直接费用。例如，软件、硬件设备以及安装和培训成本。但基金不包括日常运营成本，例如员工工资、办公室租金、一般行政和办公费用等。
下面列出了包括在资助范围内的典型技术：
电子收银机
电子支付系统
电子广告展示/聊天机器人
库存系统
人力资源系统
如想了解更多信息，请与我们联系。
您可能想要了解：与金融科技公司相关的政府资助计划
The Government sets aside HK$50 million for Retail Technology Adoption Assistance Scheme for Manpower Demand Management (ReTAAS) to help the retail industry in Hong Kong. Following this scheme to adopt relevant information and communications technology and other technologies that help manage retail manpower demand.
ReTAAS is to provide funding support for retail enterprises. Assist the retail sector to adopt new technologies in order to handle manpower demand management, eventually to enhance productivity within the retail enterprises.
Each approved project needs to complete within a time frame of 6 months.
The mode of operation is flexible, nevertheless, the location of retail outlet is flexible too. For instance, street shops, shopping malls, upstairs shops, online shops, department store counters or Exhibition booths.
The cumulative ceiling of funding support is HKD50,000 per enterprise. Hence, the applicant can apply up to 2 single projects. ReTAAS covers information and technologies expenses including both hardware and software. Companies can purchase the existing off-the-shelve programmes to fit their businesses needs. On the other hand, companies with limited budget, they can apply for the initial funding first. ReTAAS is able to provide a maximum of 50% funds of the total approved project cost.
The fund is for the direct expense related to the project. For instance, the software, hardware equipment, as well as the installation and training cost. The fund does not cover the daily operation costs, such as, salary for employees, office rent, general administrative and office expenses are not funded.
On the whole, below with a list of typical technologies that are included within the scope of funding:
For further information, please contact us.
You may want to read: GOVERNMENT FUNDING SCHEMES RELATES TO FINTECH COMPANIES
Foreign companies are advised to consider to get their Intellectual Property rights protected before entering into the China Market. As China works via “First to File” and not “First to Use” system.
China adopted an international system for categorising goods and services into appropriate classes. The system called the Nice Classification of Goods and Services (Nice Classification). Nice Classification separates all possible goods and services into 45 classes: 34 classes for goods and 11 classes for services. The classification was first established in 1957 by the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks, and is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
China Trademark office does not totally copy the Nice Classification. However, China Trademark office uses Nice Classification as the basis and make a unique Book on Classification of Similar Goods and Services for Chinese examiner’s reference. The book added unlisted Chinese common goods and services and subclasses within each of the 45 classes. The subclasses are further designed according to the similarity of the goods and services in China. In most cases, the goods or the services falling in different subclasses are not regarding as similar. It means the similar or identical trademarks can be registered within the same class because their specifications may fall in different subclasses.
For example, clothing under Nice Classification belongs to class 25. You may think both footwear and headgear are clothing and should belong to class 25. However, they have difference subclass in China. Footwear is under subclass 2507 while headgear under subclass 2508. You can see the classification system is more rigorous.
For further information, please contact us.
You may want to read: HOW TO PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS IN HONG KONG
商标对您开拓中国市场很重要
一旦您计划在中国开展业务，Center O 强烈建议任何公司在中国开展业务时都注册中国商标。中国商标通常容易、快速且便宜地注册。与世界其他国家相比，中国使用的是“先申请”，而不是“先用”制度。因此，商标抢注者将寻找新兴的初创公司并注册中国商标。
您的商标设计
在您注册中国商标之前，必须对您的商标进行特征描述
与众不同
原产地说明
独特性
如何使您的中国商标符合条件？
1.合法的
商标不得与国家或国际组织的名称或旗帜相似或相同。它不能歧视国籍或沉迷于夸大或欺诈的广告。
2.与众不同
消费者可以很容易地将您的商标与其他商品和服务的生产者区分开来。
3.不起作用
中国不接受涉及商品或服务本身性质或模式的商标。例如，一家销售苹果的公司无法将苹果或苹果的图像注册为通用名称。因为通用名是所有人都可以免费使用的。商标也不能通过技术效果来破坏竞争对手，从而使消费者在选择销售相同或类似技术效果的产品或服务时感到困惑。
4.可供注册
中国商标局的官方商标数据库可在线搜索现有商标。该数据库还包括所有商标的初步批准、最终批准、更新和修改，并且可用。
如想了解更多信息，请与我们联系。
您可能想要了解：什么是商标？
Centre O strongly recommends to register a China trademark when any companies are starting their businesses in China. Once you ever plan to operate in China. The China trademark is usually easy, fast and inexpensive to register. In contrast to the rest of the world, China is using a “first-to-file”, not a “first-to-use” system. Accordingly, the trademark squatters will look for up and coming startups and register the China trademarks.
Before you register a China Trademark, you must characterise your trademark
Trademark cannot similar or identical to the name or flag of a state or an international organisation. It cannot discriminate against a nationality or indulge in exaggerated or fraudulent advertising.
Consumers can distinguish your trademark easily distinguishable from the producer of other goods and services.
China does not accept trademarks that refer to the nature or model of the good or service itself. For example, a company selling apples is unable to register an apple or an image of an apple as generic names. Because generic names are free using by all. The mark also cannot sabotage competitors by referring to a technical effect. Thereby confusing consumers when choosing a product or service selling the same or similar technical effect.
The China Trade Mark Office’s official trademark database is available online search for existing trademarks. The database also covers preliminary approvals, final approvals, renewals, and modifications of all trademarks and is available.
For further information, please contact us.
You may want to read: WHAT IS TRADEMARK?