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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

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

Ref: FRCP 1000/20/7

16 June 2015

Dear Sirs,

Certificate of Origin Circular No. 3/2015

Commercial Information Circular No. 537/2015

Certificate of Preference Circular No. 1/2015

Notice to Exporters :

Series 1 (USA) No. 1/2015

Series 2 (EU) No. 1/2015

Series 3 (Countries other than USA & EU) No. 1/2015

Textiles Trader Registration Circular No. 1/2015

Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)
Request for Developing the CEPA Rules of Origin (ROOs)
for Goods that Have No CEPA ROOs (Arrangements for Making Requests in 2015)

Introduction

As mentioned in Certificate of Origin Circular No. 13/2014 of 18 December 2014 on the captioned subject, the Mainland has agreed to fully implement zero tariff on imported goods of Hong Kong origin Note starting from 1 January 2006, upon applications by local manufacturers and upon the CEPA rules of origin (ROOs) being agreed and met. Goods exported from Hong Kong to the Mainland must fulfil the CEPA ROOs to enjoy tariff preference. The tariff preference does not include customs duties other than tariff, such as value-added tax and consumption tax. This circular reminds the trade about the arrangements for making requests for developing the CEPA ROOs for goods that have no CEPA ROOs in 2014.

Details

2.Since the implementation of CEPA, the Mainland and Hong Kong have reached agreement on the ROOs for goods covered in 1,812 Mainland 2015 tariff codes. List of the 1,812 tariff codes with their corresponding CEPA ROOs are set out in the table "Goods entitled to CEPA Zero Tariff Preference - Mainland 2015 Tariff Codes, Product Description and Rules of Origin" which can be downloaded from the Trade and Industry Department's website . Hard copies of the table are also available at the Factory Registration and Origin Certification Branch located on 3/F of the Trade and Industry Department Tower.

3.For goods that have no CEPA ROOs for the time being, Hong Kong manufacturers may request developing the CEPA ROOs for such goods. Details of the application procedures are set out in Certificate of Origin Circular No. 13/2014 of 18 December 2014.

4.CEPA ROO consultations will be held twice a year. The Trade and Industry Department ("TID") will conduct ROO consultations with the Mainland in respect of the goods requested by Hong Kong manufacturers twice a year according to the date of receipt of the applications concerned. Applications received on or before 31 July 2015 will be included in the second round of consultations in 2015. Applications received after 31 July 2015 will be included in the next phase of consultations (in 2016).

Important Note

5.TID will keep the data provided by manufacturers in strict confidence. However, TID may under certain circumstances disclose such data to the Customs and Excise Department ("C&ED") or other government departments, or to third parties within or outside Hong Kong. These circumstances include the following: the disclosure is necessary to facilitate the verification, certification, or consultation procedures; the disclosure is authorised or required by the laws; or an explicit consent to the disclosure is given by the manufacturers concerned.

6.When filling in the form(s), manufacturers should ensure that the information provided is accurate and complete. If there is any change in the information provided, manufacturers should immediately notify TID in writing. Furthermore, the CEPA and its Supplements provide that TID should verify and certify the information provided by manufacturers. Therefore, for the purpose of verification and certification of the information provided by individual manufacturers, TID may require the manufacturers concerned to provide further information. TID may also request C&ED to seek entry into the office and factory premises of the manufacturers concerned in order to understand more about the applications. It is the responsibility of the manufacturers to provide necessary assistance when they are so required or requested.

7.Applicants/data subjects whose personal data are collected by TID may request access to such data under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, Cap. 486. Such requests should be made on the Data Access Request Form (No. OPS003) issued by the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, which is available at TID's Information Counter on G/F of the Trade and Industry Department Tower, or may be downloaded from TID's webpage. The completed form should be forwarded to the Factory Registration and Origin Certification Branch of TID. A charge will be made to cover the cost of photocopying the data supplied. In addition, if the data subject considers that the data supplied to TID is inaccurate after a data access request has been complied with, a request for correction of the personal data may be made in writing.

Enquiries

8. For enquiries, please contact us through the following channels -

Yours faithfully,




(Miss Iris YAU)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

Note Imported goods do not include those prohibited by the Mainland's rules and regulations and those prohibited as a result of the implementation of international treaties by the Mainland, as well as products that the Mainland has made special commitments in relevant international agreements.  Applicants are advised to consult the Mainland customs and other relevant Mainland authorities for details about prohibited imports by the Mainland.  Applicants may also refer to the commercial information circulars issued by the Trade and Industry Department, available at http://www.tid.gov.hk/english/cepa/tradegoods/trade_goods.html, for information about the catalogues of prohibited imports issued by the Mainland.