Certificate of Origin Circulars

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

Ref: FRCP 1000/2/1

28 November 2014

Dear Sirs,

Certificate of Origin Circular No. 11/2014

Commercial Information Circular No. 1023/2014

Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)
CEPA Rules of Origin for Goods Applying for Zero Tariff in the Second Half of 2014

Introduction

This circular sets out the CEPA rules of origin (ROOs) developed for eight products applying for zero tariff under CEPA in the second half of 2014 (detailed in paragraph 2 below) and the revised CEPA ROOs for two products (detailed in paragraph 3 below).

CEPA ROOs for Goods Applying for Zero Tariff

2.Since the implementation of CEPA, the Mainland and Hong Kong have reached agreement on the ROOs for 1,796 Mainland 2014 tariff codes. These products are eligible for zero tariff preference under CEPA provided that their respective ROOs and relevant conditions are met. With effect from 1 January 2015, eight Mainland tariff codes will be added to the list of goods eligible for zero tariff preference under CEPA. Please refer to the Annex (pdf format) for the relevant tariff codes and the corresponding ROOs. A full list of the 1,804 Mainland tariff codes under CEPA and their respective ROOs is available here.

Amendment of CEPA ROOs

3.In addition, the Mainland General Administration of Customs will revise the CEPA origin criteria for the following two products with effective from 1 January 2015.

1. Revised CEPA ROO of 1602 5090 ("Prepared or preserved other meat, meat offal and blood, of bovine animals"):

"Change in tariff heading."

2. Revised CEPA ROO of 8515 8090 ("Other welding machines and apparatus"):

"(1) Assembled in Hong Kong and to fulfill the value-added content requirement; or
 (2) Assembled in Hong Kong, and parts and components should be originated from the Mainland or Hong Kong."

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

4.Traders can lodge CO(CEPA) applications to the Trade and Industry Department or one of the five Government Approved Certification Organizations (GACOs)¹ . Such CO(CEPA) applications, if approved, will be valid for claiming zero tariff preference. As regards the products under the eight Mainland tariff codes mentioned in paragraph 2 above, traders can lodge CO(CEPA) applications by around end December 2014 and enjoy zero tariff preference on or after 1 January 2015 as appropriate.

5.Upon submission of applications for CO(CEPA), traders should quote the tariff codes stipulated in the applicable "Customs Tariff of Import and Export of the People's Republic of China". Given the adjustments in the Mainland tariff codes for 2015, the list of goods eligible for zero tariff preference under CEPA will be updated accordingly and a separate circular will be issued in end December 2014.

Enquiries

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

Yours faithfully,

(Calvin Choy)

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.