Licensing Control Policy
Under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60), the Reserved Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 296) and their subsidiary legislation, imports and exports of certain articles (see below tables) are subject to licensing control by the Director-General of Trade and Industry. Besides, the import and export licensing control of ozone depleting substances is exercised by the Trade and Industry Department under delegated authority from the Director of the Environmental Protection. Therefore, a major function of the Department is to serve the trade by providing various licensing or certification facilities.
The licensing requirement in respect of rice (the reserved commodity) is to ensure the availability of staple food. For ozone depleting substances, the purpose of licensing control is to ensure that the local consumption of controlled substances does not exceed levels agreed under the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer as amended from time to time.
The following articles are subject to import and/or export licensing control by the Trade and Industry Department :
|
Article |
Import Licence Required | Export Licence Required |
|---|---|---|
| Powdered Formula | No |
Yes (unless exempted) |
| Rice | Yes | Yes |
| Rough Diamonds | Yes | Yes |
| Strategic commodities | Yes | Yes |
| Ozone depleting substances | Yes | Yes |
In addition, the import and/or export licensing control of the following articles are exercised by other government departments under delegated authority from the Director-General of Trade and Industry:
| Article | Import Licence Required | Export Licence Required | Licensing Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese herbal medicines and propriety Chinese medicines | Yes | Yes | Department of Health |
| Frozen, chilled meat and poultry | Yes | No | Food and Environmental Hygiene Department |
| Non-pesticide hazardous chemicals | Yes | Yes | Environmental Protection Department |
| Optical disc mastering and replication equipments | Yes | Yes | Customs and Excise Department |
| Pesticides | Yes | Yes | Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department |
| Pharmaceutical products and medicines | Yes | Yes | Department of Health |
| Radioactive substances and irradiating apparatus | Yes | No | Department of Health |
For details, please see the Overview of Hong Kong's Import and Export Licensing and Control