ENG-2001 — Page 161

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Services Promotion Strategy Group, chaired by the Financial Secretary and comprising prominent business figures, leading academics and senior officials, provides the necessary guidance. In 2001, the group continued to monitor the implementation of the 2000-2001 Services Promotion Action Agenda which includes 12 projects such as fostering the development of Hong Kong into a logistics hub and organising a major international conference on services. With one exception, all the initiatives under the Action Agenda have been completed.

As part of the Services Promotion Programme, the BSPU launched a series of publicity activities to enhance local understanding of the importance of quality service. These included the production of a television Announcement in the Public Interest and mini TV episodes, and the launching of a publicity campaign for youngsters. The objective of the campaign is to build up young people's confidence in Hong Kong's economic future and promote their understanding of a knowledge- based services economy.

The promotion of professional services has been an important area of work of the BSPU. A major initiative during the year was the setting up of a $100 million funding scheme to help raise the standard and external competitiveness of professional services. The unit has also produced a video to help promote Hong Kong professional services to Mainland enterprises.

Trade Documentation

As a free port, the HKSAR maintains minimal import and export documentation requirements. Most products do not need licences to enter or leave Hong Kong. Licences or notifications are only required if the HKSAR needs to fulfil its international obligations, to protect public health, safety, environment, or intellectual property rights, or to ensure Hong Kong's unrestricted access to high technologies and hi-tech products. Products that require import or export licences include strategic commodities, rice, chilled or frozen meat and poultry, pharmaceutical products and medicines, pesticides, radioactive substances and irradiating apparatus, left-hand- drive vehicles, ozone-depleting substances, and optical disc mastering and replication equipment.

The HKSAR maintains a certification of origin system to facilitate Hong Kong exports to overseas markets. The Trade and Industry Department administers this system and issues certificates of origin. In addition, the Government has designated five organisations to issue certificates of origin the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Indian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.

Electronic Data Interchange

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is the electronic transfer of data from one computer system to another using agreed standards. The Government has been promoting the use of EDI in the trading community, not only to increase the competitiveness of firms but also to maintain Hong Kong's position as a leading. trade centre. In 1992, the Government decided to make the use of EDI compulsory for six official trade-related transactions, and granted Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited (Tradelink) an exclusive right to provide the related front-end

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