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Commerce and Industry
Business Liaison Groups foster communication between the government bureaus and departments and the major business sectors and help resolve regulatory and licensing matters. at the operational level. A business consultation e-platform, www.gov.hk/bizconsult, helps businesses to access information on proposed regulations, administrative measures and procedures that would affect business, and to offer their comments.
Thirty government bureaus and departments involved in providing licensing services to businesses take part in the government's 'Be the Smart Regulator' programme, aimed at improving the efficiency, transparency and business-friendliness of the licensing system. The programme is coordinated jointly by the Efficiency Unit under the Chief Secretary for Administration'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. It requires a shipper or his agent to submit a few items of cargo information electronically 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 and Single E-lock Scheme
The Intermodal Transhipment Facilitation Scheme (ITFS) simplifies customs clearance procedures for air-land and sea-land intermodal transhipment cargo. Enrolment is voluntary. Participating enterprises convey their transhipment cargo using goods vehicles installed with electronic locks and Global Positioning System devices recognised by the department. The cargo will normally undergo inspection only once, if selected at all, at the point of entry or exit.
The Single E-lock Scheme further streamlines customs clearance procedures through connecting the ITFS with the Speedy Customs Clearance System operated by the Guangdong Customs. This uses the same mutually recognised electronic lock to minimise duplicate inspections of the same consignment at the boundary.
Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme
The Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme provides for consignments passing through Hong Kong to enjoy preferential tariffs under FTAs signed between the
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