Electronic Services for Certificate of Origin (CO)

Procedure

Traders who wish to use electronic service for submission of CO applications should first register with either Brio Electronic Commerce Limited (Brio), Global e-Trading Services Limited (Ge-TS) or Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited (Tradelink). Traders may call the hotlines of Brio at 2111 1288, Ge-TS at 8201 0082 and/or Tradelink at 2599 1700 for more information.

After registration, traders can make use of the customer software/log in designated website provided by Brio/Ge-TS/Tradelink to prepare CO applications/requests through traders' office computers in the form of electronic messages via Brio/Ge-TS/Tradelink to the Trade and Industry Department or GACOs (for CO applications lodged with GACOs) for processing.

At Brio, Ge-TS and Tradelink, computer validation, matching and archiving functions are performed. Trade and Industry Department or the GACOs will process the applications and send an approval, deferment, or rejection message to the traders concerned.

Upon receipt of the CO approval message, the exporter can make use of the customer software/website function to print the corresponding "CO Collection Slip", apply its company chop on it, and bring the slip to collect the CO from the Department or GACOs.*

For electronic CO applications deferred due to incorrect or insufficient information, traders can re-lodge the applications to the issuing authority concerned after making necessary amendments.

^* Starting from 1 May 2016, Certificate of Hong Kong Origin – Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement ["CO(CEPA)"] has been issued electronically. Upon receipt of the CO(CEPA) approval message and the Print-out of CO(CEPA), the exporter may save and/or print the Print-out as needed. The exporter is not required to collect the certificate from the Department or GACOs.

Starting from 1 April 2022, the Department and GACOs will issue Certificate of Hong Kong Origin (CHKO) and Certificate of Origin - Processing (COP) in electronic file format at the request of the exporter. The exporter may opt for issuance of CHKO/COP in either paper format or electronic file format subject to business needs. For a CHKO/COP issued in electronic file format, the certificate will be made available as an electronic file in Portable Document Format (PDF) for the exporter to download from the electronic platform of Brio/Ge-TS/Tradelink. For details, please refer to the following Certificate of Origin Circular:

Certificate of Origin Circular No. 2/2022
Certificate of Hong Kong Origin (CHKO) and Certificate of Origin - Processing (COP)
Issuance of Certificate in Electronic File Format and Introduction of Online Verification Service
https://www.tid.gov.hk/english/aboutus/tradecircular/coc/2022/coc022022.html