Press Release

Amendments to Strategic Commodities Control List gazetted
Friday, May 24, 2013

The Government will table at the Legislative Council next Wednesday (May 29) the Import and Export (Strategic Commodities) Regulations (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 2013.

"The purpose of the Order is to reflect the changes adopted in the strategic commodities control lists by relevant international non-proliferation regimes, i.e. the Wassenaar Arrangement, the Australia Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Nuclear Suppliers Group," a spokesperson for the Trade and Industry Department (TID) said.

These changes generally reflect the on-going relaxation of control on strategic commodities which are mainly used for industrial purposes but which can also be applied to military uses (e.g. electronics, computers, and telecommunications and information security products), while strengthening control of more sensitive items (e.g. certain unmanned airships and certain insulation material for rocket motor cases usable in missiles), of which trading activities in Hong Kong are insignificant.

"Traders should welcome the enactment of the order as they will no longer have to apply for import and export licences for trading relevant commodities," the spokesperson said.

Pursuant to Hong Kong Laws, the import and export of strategic commodities is subject to licensing control by the Director-General of Trade and Industry. The purpose of imposing licensing control is to monitor and control the flow of strategic commodities in order to maintain the confidence of technology-supplying countries in Hong Kong's control systems, thereby ensuring Hong Kong's continued access to high technology.

"Hong Kong has been closely following the control thresholds adopted by the international non-proliferation regimes. This is to ensure that we would always be upholding controls consistent with the international standards, whilst relieving traders from licensing requirements when the international standards are relaxed," the spokesperson said.

The Amendment Order was gazetted today (May 24) and will be tabled at the Legislative Council on May 29. The Order would come into force on a day to be appointed by the Director-General of Trade and Industry by a notice published in the Gazette later. Traders may visit the website of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (www.gov.hk) to access the Gazette.

Enquiries can be made to the Strategic Trade Controls Branch of the TID by telephone at 2398 5587 or by email at stc@tid.gov.hk.

The TID will also inform traders of the details of the amendments via circulars and the general advisory service.

Ends