Civil and criminal liabilities pertaining to parallel importation of and subsequent dealings in most articles which have a computer programme imbedded (commonly known as computer software products) will soon be removed.

This will come into effect through an amendment to the copyright ordinance on November 28.

However, the liberalisation does not cover computer software products which contain a computer programme but the principal attraction of which is musical sound or visual recordings, movies, television dramas, e-books, or a combination of them.

Under the existing Copyright Ordinance, it is a criminal offence to import (otherwise than for private and domestic use) or sell parallel-imported copies of a copyright work (including a computer software product) that has been published for less than 18 months in Hong Kong or elsewhere.

The maximum penalty is $50,000 per copy and four years' imprisonment.

The Commerce, Industry & Technology Bureau said liberalising the parallel importation of computer software products will increase their availability in the market and benefit consumers.

The liberalisation is also in line with the Government's free-market philosophy and its policy of facilitating the free flow of genuine goods.

The move is set for implementation pending final endorsement by the Legislative Council.