ENG-2015 — Page 131

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Commerce and Industry

programme is jointly co-ordinated by the Efficiency Unit under the Chief Secretary's Office and the Business Facilitation Division of the Economic Analysis and Business Facilitation Unit under the Financial Secretary's Office. The division also supports the work of the advisory committee 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 the territory. Licences are required mainly to fulfil Hong Kong's international obligations; to protect public health, safety, the environment or intellectual property rights; and to ensure the territory's continued access to advanced technologies and high-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 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 the system 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 simplifies customs clearance procedures for air-land and sea-land intermodal transhipment cargoes. Enrolment is voluntary. Transhipment cargoes of participating enterprises, conveyed by goods vehicles installed with electronic locks and Global Positioning System devices recognised by the department, will normally be subject to inspection only once (if selected) at the point of entry or exit.

Other Transhipment Facilitation Measures

The department has also implemented measures to allow consignments passing through Hong Kong to enjoy reduced tariffs for goods traded between the Mainland and trading partners concerned. The department will provide a supervision service for the goods and issue a certificate of non-manipulation so traders can claim tariff benefits from the authorities at the importing end.

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 20 million transactions in 2015. A study was launched during the year to examine how the services could facilitate trade further.

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