ENG-2003 — Page 166

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COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

During the year, 10 studies and projects were completed under the Helping Business Programme and some 50 recommendations were identified. Helping business initiatives introduced by various government agencies in the year included implementation of an Open Bond System to provide flexibility and reduce the operating costs for the dutiable commodity trade; launch of on-screen fillable forms. on the Government Forms website (http://www.info.gov.hk/forms) to provide alternatives for the public to access and fill in government forms electronically; streamlining the Transport Department's processes and operations and enhancing its communication with the trade; and identifying opportunities to streamline the regulatory procedures and shorten the processing time for issue of licences and permits for the construction industry.

To promote services, the Government organised different publicity activities such as the 'Soar Over Hong Kong' scheme, 'Quality Customer Services' programme and other projects to promote among the community a better understanding of Hong Kong's services economy and awareness of the importance of quality service.

Specific efforts were also made by Government to promote Hong Kong's professional services. These included the $100 million Professional Services Development Assistance Scheme, which was launched in February 2002 to provide funding support, on an equal matching basis, for the eligible professional service sectors to organise projects which aim to enhance the external competitiveness and standard of Hong Kong's professional services. Media publicity was also launched in the Pearl River Delta area to promote Hong Kong's professional services there.

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 textiles and clothing, 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 its 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.

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Government Electronic Trading Services (GETS)

To maintain Hong Kong's competitiveness in the global business community, the Government has been promoting the wider adoption of electronic commerce in the trading community since the early 1990s.

Global e-Trading Services Limited and Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited are currently the service providers providing front-end services for the electronic