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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
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24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

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

Ref: TID TS 45/1

19 December 2014

Dear Sirs,

Mainland Cereals and Grain Flour Registration Circular No. 1/2014

2015 Registration Arrangement for Local Importer of Mainland Cereals and Grain Flour

Introduction

This circular informs the trade that the Mainland of China  ("the Mainland") will continue the export administration measures for cereals and grain flour in 2015; and the details of the registration arrangement for local importer of Mainland cereals and grain flour operated by the Trade and Industry Department ("the Department").

Details

2.To ensure stability of supplies and prices in the domestic market, the Mainland has implemented export administration measures for cereals and grain flour, including wheat flour, rice flour and rice, since early 2008.  After liaison with the Mainland authorities, we understand that the Mainland will maintain its export quota administration for the supply of wheat flour, rice flour and rice to Hong Kong in 2015.  The Mainland will also continue to require that the relevant exports should only be supplied for local consumption purpose in Hong Kong and not for re-export.

3. To complement the relevant export administration measures of the Mainland, the Department  will continue to implement a corresponding registration arrangement for local importers of Mainland wheat flour, rice flour and rice ("the Registration Arrangement").  Local companies/registered businesses intending to import the afore-mentioned cereals and grain flour from the Mainland (product list at Annex I) (pdf format) should apply to the Department for registration as a local importer of Mainland cereals and grain flour ("Registered Importer"). 

4. In accordance with the agreement between the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Mainland authorities, Mainland enterprises allocated with the export quotas of wheat flour and rice flour for supply to Hong Kong as well as relevant export enterprises of Mainland rice shall present the contracts signed with the Registered Importers of Hong Kong or related proofs in applying to the Mainland authorities for export licences to cover the products concerned.

5. Transactions between the Registered Importers of Hong Kong and the export enterprises of the Mainland on Mainland cereals and grain flour being commercial activities, there is no guarantee that a Registered Importer will obtain any quantity of wheat flour, rice flour and rice at any price from the Mainland enterprises.

Registration Conditions

6. Applicants for registration as a Registered Importer of Mainland wheat flour and rice flour should satisfy the following conditions:

  1. carry on a business registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap 310); and
  2. have engaged in the import business of wheat flour and rice flour from the Mainland during 2007 – 2014.


7. Applicants for registration as a Registered Importer of Mainland rice should satisfy the following conditions:

  1. registered as a Rice Stockholder under the Rice Control Scheme in accordance with the Reserved Commodities Ordinance (Cap 296); and
  2. have engaged in the import business of rice during 2007 – 2014.

Application Procedures

8. Applicants should complete the application form at Annex II (pdf format) and submit it together with the required supporting documents to the Department in person (address: Textiles Trader Registration Office (Registration Unit for Local Importer of Mainland Cereals and Grain Flour), 2/F, Trade and Industry Department Tower, 700 Nathan Road, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong).  Where necessary, the Department may request the applicant to provide additional information and supporting documents.   The Department will inform the applicants of the results of their applications within 4 working days after receipt of the duly completed application accompanied by all necessary supporting documents.  

Registration Certificate

9. Upon verification by the Department, an applicant who meets the registration conditions will be issued with a Certificate to confirm its Registered Importer status in the category(ies) of Mainland cereals and grain flour concerned.  The Department will publish a Register of all Registered Importers through the Department's "Mainland Cereals and Grain Flour" webpage (http://www.tid.gov.hk/english/import_export/nontextiles/nt_flour/mainland_grain_flour.html).

10. The Certificate is valid up to 31 December 2015.  If the Mainland is to continue with its export administration measures for cereals and grain flour in the subsequent year, the Department will notify Registered Importers separately of the renewal arrangements before expiry of the Certificate.  Renewal will be arranged only if Registered Importers continue to meet the afore-mentioned registration conditions.  They should continue to abide by the obligations and undertakings of the Registration Arrangement prevailing at the time.

Obligations and Undertakings

11. Registered Importers of Mainland wheat flour and rice flour should report the monthly quantities of wheat flour and rice flour imported from the Mainland in the preceding month on or before the 15th day of every month on the proforma provided by the Department.  Where necessary, Registered Importers of Mainland rice should report the quantities of rice imported from the Mainland regularly as required by the Department.  All Registered Importers should also give consent that the HKSAR Government may disclose the relevant information to the Mainland authorities.  Such information will only be used for the purposes in relation to the Mainland export administration measures for cereals and grain flour and the Registration Arrangement.

12. A Registered Importer should also undertake:

  1. that all the wheat flour, rice flour and rice imported from the Mainland shall not be re-exported;
  2. to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of purchase, storage and sales.  If the wheat flour, rice flour and rice are imported from multiple places of origin, stock records should be kept properly to ensure clear differentiation of all the wheat flour, rice flour and rice imported from the Mainland;
  3. to agree, under reasonable circumstances, to provide relevant officers of the HKSAR Government with information relating to (ii) and to give consent that the HKSAR Government may disclose the relevant information to the Mainland authorities.  Such information will only be used for purposes in relation to the Mainland export administration measures for cereals and grain flour and the Registration Arrangement;
  4. to permit relevant officers of the HKSAR Government, under reasonable circumstances, to enter its business and storage premises for the purposes of inspection and verification of information relating to (ii); and
  5. to take all reasonable and practicable measures in ensuring that the wheat flour, rice flour and rice imported from the Mainland are supplied to Hong Kong customers for local consumption only.

13. If a Registered Importer breaches any of the above undertakings and cannot provide reasonable explanations in writing, the Department may remove it from the Register of Registered Importers and revoke the Certificate(s) issued.  The Department will update the Register accordingly.

Registration Fee

14. Application for registration as a Registered Importer is free of charge at present.  The Department is reviewing the fee-charging arrangement for registrations and will announce any fees for the registrations concerned in due course.

Review

15. The Department will review the Registration Arrangement and the implementation details from time to time in light of the latest development of the Mainland export administration measures for cereals and grain flour, and will inform the trade of any adjustment in advance.

Enquiry

16. For any questions, please visit the Department's "Mainland Cereals and Grain Flour" webpage (http://www.tid.gov.hk/english/import_export/nontextiles/nt_flour/mainland_grain_flour.html) or contact:

Tel. : 2398 5733
Fax. : 2309 7744
E-mail : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
 

Yours faithfully,




(Ms. Sophie WONG)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry