Certificate of Origin Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : TID CL CO/200

2 October 2008

Dear Sirs,

Certificate of Origin Circular No. 11/2008

Hong Kong Origin Rules

Introduction

This Circular outlines Hong Kong's basic principles for determining Hong Kong origin and provides updated information on Hong Kong's origin rules (^{Note 1}) and the corresponding principal manufacturing processes (^{Note 2} ) in respect of individual products for the purpose of issuing Certificates of Hong Kong Origin. The Certificate of Origin Circular No. 3/2007 of 19 January 2007 is hereby superseded.

Hong Kong Origin Rules

2. The origin rules for the issue of Certificates of Hong Kong Origin for specific products by the Trade and Industry Department and the five Government Approved Certification Organizations (^{Note 3}) are established in conformity with internationally accepted practice and standards. They may also be reviewed periodically to take into account technological changes and industrial development in Hong Kong. For wholly obtained or produced goods, they must be the natural products of Hong Kong which have been wholly grown or mined in Hong Kong or produced in Hong Kong from domestic materials. For manufactured goods which may involve multiple country processing and/or materials, they must be the products of manufacturing processes in Hong Kong which have changed permanently and substantially the shape, nature, form or utility of the basic materials used in manufacture. Processes such as simple diluting, packing, bottling, drying, simple assembling, sorting or decorating etc. are not regarded as genuine manufacturing processes. The detailed origin criteria and the corresponding principal manufacturing processes for specific products are set out in Appendix I (pdf format) (^{Note 4}).

Information on Hong Kong Origin Rules

3. The Trade and Industry Department and the five Government Approved Certification Organizations provide information on Hong Kong's origin rules applicable for the issue of Certificates of Hong Kong Origin. Enquiries on origin rules may be directed to the Factory Registration and Origin Certification Branch at 3/F, Trade and Industry Department Tower, 700 Nathan Road, Kowloon. Traders who would like to make origin enquiries are requested to provide the information set out at Appendix II (pdf format) to facilitate consideration by the Department.

Enquiries

4. For further information on the contents of this circular or questions relating to the Department's origin certification services, please contact the Factory Registration and Origin Certification Branch at telephone no. 2398 5545.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Angel SHAM)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

Note 1 : The Hong Kong origin rules contained in this circular are non-preferential rules of origin. Hong Kong goods subject to tariff preference under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) must follow CEPA preferential rules of origin.

Note 2 : The principal manufacturing processes are the manufacturing processes required to be performed in Hong Kong which confer Hong Kong origin to a finished article. In this regard, a subsidiary process is any manufacturing process, other than the principal process, which contributes towards the manufacture of an article.

Note 3 : The five Government Approved Certification Organizations are the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; the Indian Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.

Note 4 : Appendix I lists out the Hong Kong origin criteria and principal manufacturing processes for specified products. For similar products which have not been specified in the list, the Department may make reference to the relevant products at Appendix I in determining the applicable origin criteria and principal manufacturing processes.

Note : The Chinese text of this Notice/Circular is for reference only. In case of discrepancies between the Chinese and the English texts, the English text shall for all purposes be conclusive.