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Commerce and Industry
The Efficiency Unit under the Chief Secretary's Office and the Business Facilitation Division (BFD) of the Economic Analysis and Business Facilitation Unit under the Financial Secretary's Office jointly co-ordinate the 'Be the Smart Regulator' programme. The BFD also supports the work of the BFAC and its task forces
Trade Documentation
As a free port, Hong Kong maintains optimal import and export documentation requirements to facilitate trade. Most products do not need licences to enter or leave Hong Kong. Licences are required mainly to fulfil Hong Kong's international obligations; to protect public health, safety, the environment, or intellectual property rights; or ensure Hong Kong's continued access to advanced technologies and hi-tech products.
Hong Kong maintains an origin certification system to facilitate its exports to external markets.
Road Cargo System
The Customs and Excise Department's Road Cargo System (ROCARS) facilitates customs clearance through prior risk-profiling. To do this, a shipper or his agent is required to submit a few items of cargo information electronically to the department through ROCARS before the consignment is imported to, or exported from, Hong Kong. All cross-boundary goods vehicles, except those selected for inspection, now enjoy seamless customs clearance at the land boundary.
Intermodal Transhipment Facilitation Scheme
The Intermodal Transhipment Facilitation Scheme (ITFS) simplifies customs clearance procedures for air-land and sea-land intermodal transhipment cargoes. Enrolment to ITFS is voluntary. Transhipment cargoes of participating enterprises, conveyed by goods vehicles installed with electronic locks and tracking devices approved by the Customs and Excise Department, will normally be subject to inspection only once (if selected) at either the point of entry or exit.
Government Electronic Trading Services
The Government Electronic Trading Services allows the trading community to submit certain trade-related documents electronically to fulfil statutory obligations in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner. Three government-appointed operators provide the services, which processed about 22 million transactions in 2014.
Trade and Industrial Support Organisations
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) was established under the HKTDC Ordinance to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade with places outside Hong Kong, with particular reference to exports; and to make such recommendations to the government as it sees fit in relation to any measures which it considers would achieve an increase in Hong Kong's trade. With its global network of more than 40 offices, including 13 in the Mainland, the
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