Certificate of Origin Circulars

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

Ref: FRCP 1000/2/1

30 May 2014

Dear Sirs,

Certificate of Origin Circular No. 2/2014

Commercial Information Circular No. 511/2014

Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)

CEPA Rules of Origin for Goods Applying for Zero Tariff in the First Half of 2014

Introduction

This circular sets out the rules of origin (ROOs) for goods applying for zero tariff under CEPA in the first half of 2014.

ROOs for Goods Applying for Zero Tariff in the First Half of 2014

2.Since the implementation of CEPA, the Mainland and Hong Kong have reached agreement on the ROOs for 1,788 Mainland 2014 tariff codes. These products will be eligible for zero tariff preference under CEPA provided that their respective ROOs and relevant conditions are met. With effect from 1 July 2014, eight Mainland tariff codes will be added to the list of goods eligible for tariff preference under CEPA. The relevant tariff codes and the corresponding ROOs are set out at the Annex (pdf format).  A full list of the 1,796 tariff codes under CEPA and their respective ROOs can be downloaded from the following website:
https://www.tid.gov.hk/english/cepa/tradegoods/files/mainland_2014.pdf.

Application and Issue of Certificate of Origin – CEPA [ "CO(CEPA)"]

3.Traders may wish to note that the implementation date under CEPA for the products classified under the eight Mainland 2014 tariff codes mentioned in paragraph 2 above is 1 July 2014. Traders can submit the CO(CEPA) applications to the Trade and Industry Department or one of the five Government Approved Certification Organizations (GACOs)¹  to cover the products under the eight Mainland tariff codes by around end June 2014. Such CO(CEPA) applications, if approved, will be valid for claiming zero tariff preference starting from 1 July 2014.

4.CO(CEPA)s will only be issued to applicants who have properly submitted their applications and fulfilled all the relevant requirements. The relevant requirements include, among others, the CEPA ROOs, the requirement of Factory Registration, manufacturer's authorized signatory, labelling requirements, inclusion of product development cost in the applicable CO(CEPA) applications, etc. For more information on the conditions and application procedures for CO(CEPA), please refer to Certificate of Origin Circular No. 10/2013 dated 31 December 2013.

Enquiries

5.Should you require further information on the content of this circular, please contact us through any of the following channels -

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Janice LAU)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

1.  The five GACOs are the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; the Federation of Hong Kong Industries; the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and the Indian Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong.