ENG-2020 — Page 132

5

Commerce and Industry

It conducts joint operations with Guangdong Customs to intercept the cross-boundary movement of infringing goods, and works with the Economic Crime Investigation Bureau of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department to share intelligence and provide mutual assistance in combating cross-boundary infringing activities.

Participation in International Organisations

The Intellectual Property Department takes part in events of the WTO's Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the World Intellectual Property Organisation, and attends meetings of the APEC Intellectual Property Rights Experts Group.

Trade Documentation

Hong Kong is a free port and most products do not need licences to enter or leave. Licences are required mainly to fulfil Hong Kong's international obligations; to protect public health, safety, the environment and intellectual property rights; and to ensure the territory's continued access to advanced technologies and high-tech products. An origin certification system is also in place to facilitate exports.

Road Cargo System

The Customs and Excise Department's Road Cargo System facilitates customs clearance of road cargo through prior risk-profiling. Under the system, a shipper or his agent submits key cargo information electronically before the consignment is imported to, or exported from, Hong Kong. As a result, cross-boundary goods vehicles, except those selected for inspection, may go through seamless customs clearance at land boundary control points.

Intermodal Transhipment Facilitation Scheme and Single E-lock Scheme

The Intermodal Transhipment Facilitation Scheme (ITFS) seeks to simplify 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 normally undergoes inspection only once, if selected at all, when entering or leaving Hong Kong.

The Single E-lock Scheme (SELS) streamlines customs clearance procedures by connecting the ITFS to a speedy clearance system operated by Mainland Customs. Mutually recognised electronic locks are used to minimise duplicate inspections of the same consignment at the boundary. The SELS network covers all nine Mainland municipalities in the GBA. In 2020, 12 additional clearance points were added to SELS, expanding its clearance point network to 76 (13 in Hong Kong and 63 in Guangdong).

Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme

The Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme allows consignments passing through Hong Kong to be charged preferential tariffs under FTAs signed between the Mainland and her trading partners. The department supervises such consignments and issues certificates of non-manipulation, enabling traders to claim preferential tariffs from the authorities at the importing end.

92