The Companies Registry says the new arrangement requiring people to indicate in a statement the purpose of conducting electronic company searches will not affect the right of public access to information.
In a statement today, the registry said the new arrangement was introduced on the Privacy Commissioner's recommendation to ensure proper use of personal data obtained from the Companies Register.
As the registry makes the register available for public inspection for the purposes set out in section 45 of the Companies Ordinance, the purposes of conducting company searches as provided in the statement are specified with reference to the ordinance's provisions.
There is no reduction in the scope of public searches on the Company Register.
There are nine options on the purposes for conducting company searches, which are independent of one another and searchers can select one or more options.
Among the nine options, the scope of the seventh option covers any search to ascertain the particulars of the company, its directors or other officers, or its former directors (if any). This option can cover the collection of information for the purpose of news reporting activities and does not require a searcher to have any dealings with the relevant company or person.
The registry is enhancing its electronic search services and a full scale Company Search Mobile Service will be launched shortly.
