ENG-2019 — Page 147

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Innovation and Technology

CEPA Agreement on Trade in Services, amended in November, the scope of China Compulsory Certification (CCC) testing that can be undertaken by Hong Kong testing organisations in collaboration with designated Mainland bodies will be expanded to cover CCC products processed or manufactured anywhere in the world.

Hong Kong Accreditation Service

The accreditation service operates according to international standards and is active in international and regional accreditation communities. It has mutual recognition arrangements with accreditation bodies in 103 economies, allowing the results of tests, calibrations, certifications, inspections, validations and verifications provided by its accredited organisations to be recognised globally, thus facilitating cross-border business:

Standards and Calibration Laboratory

The laboratory is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's (HKSAR) official custodian of physical measurement reference standards and provides a calibration service traceable to the International System of Units. It represents the HKSAR as a signatory to the Mutual Recognition Arrangement of the International Committee for Weights and Measures. As such, calibration certificates issued by the laboratory are recognised internationally.

Product Standards Information Bureau

The bureau sells standards documents and offers free technical advice on standards-related matters. It also represents the HKSAR in major forums relating to standards and conformance issues and acts as Hong Kong, China's Enquiry and Notification Point under the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.

Innovation and Technology Development

The government promotes I&T development in eight major areas outlined by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, namely by increasing resources for R&D, pooling technology talent, providing funding investments, providing technological research infrastructure, reviewing legislation and regulations, opening up government data, leading changes to procurement arrangements and promoting popular science education.

To promote I&T development expeditiously and efficiently, the Chief Executive chairs a high- level, inter-departmental Steering Committee on Innovation and Technology to examine and steer measures under the eight major areas as well as smart city initiatives. Most of the principal officials are standing members of the committee.

R&D and Technology Transfer

The government's goal is to increase the ratio of gross domestic expenditure on R&D to Gross Domestic Product gradually by 2022 to 1.5 per cent, and to reverse the ratio of public-sector to private-sector R&D expenditure from being government-led to one of public-private participation.

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