Hong Kong Ordinances

COPYRIGHT ORDINANCE - SECT 56

Material open to public inspection or on official register

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

Adaptation amendments retroactively made - see 22 of 1999 s. 3

(1) Where material is open to public inspection pursuant to a
statutory requirement, or is on a statutory register, copyright is not
infringed by the copying of so much of the material as contains factual
information of any description, by or with the authority of the
appropriate person, for a purpose which does not involve the issuing or making
available of copies to the public.

(2) Where material is open to public inspection pursuant to a
statutory requirement, copyright is not infringed by the copying or issuing or
making available to the public of copies of the material, by or with the
authority of the appropriate person, for the purpose of enabling the material
to be inspected at a more convenient time or place or otherwise facilitating
the exercise of any right for the purpose of which the requirement is imposed.

(3) Where material which is open to public inspection pursuant to a
statutory requirement, or which is on a statutory register, contains
information about matters of general scientific, technical, commercial or
economic interest, copyright is not infringed by the copying or issuing or
making available to the public of copies of the material, by or with the
authority of the appropriate person, for the purpose of disseminating that
information.

(4) The Chief Executive may by regulation provide that subsection

(1), (2) or (3) applies, in such cases as may be specified in the regulation,
only to copies marked in such manner as may be so specified. (Amended 22 of
1999 s. 3)

(5) The Chief Executive may by regulation provide that subsections

(1) to (3) apply, to such extent and with such modifications as may be
specified in the regulation- (Amended 22 of 1999 s. 3)

   (a)  to material made open to public inspection by-

        (i)    an international organization specified in the regulation; or

        (ii)   a person so specified who has functions in Hong Kong under an
               international agreement to which Hong Kong is a party; or

   (b)  to a register maintained by an international organization specified in
        the regulation, as they apply in relation to material open to public
        inspection pursuant to a statutory requirement or to a
        statutory register.

(6) In this section-

"appropriate person" (適當的人) means the person required to make the
material open to public inspection or, as the case may be, the person
maintaining the statutory register;

"statutory register" (法定登記冊) means a register maintained in
pursuance of a requirement imposed by or under an Ordinance;

"statutory requirement" (法例規定) means a requirement imposed by or under
an Ordinance. [ cf. 1988 c. 48 s. 47 U.K.]

"appropriate person" (適當的人)

"statutory register" (法定登記冊)

"statutory requirement" (法例規定)