Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/380 |
S-II§32 |
Hong Kong, China |
2018 |
Trade Policy Framework |
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Relevant information
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Under the provisions for trade in services in the HK-Macao CEPA, a positive-list approach is adopted. Macao, China agreed to WTO-plus commitments regarding HKC in certain services sectors, including business, communication, education, environmental, recreational, cultural and sporting, and transport services. HKC also agreed to WTO-plus commitments in certain services sectors, including environmental, health related and social, and certain business services.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/380 |
S-II§35 |
Hong Kong, China |
2018 |
Trade Policy Framework |
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Relevant information
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2.34. According to the authorities, the FTA and the Investment Agreement are to enter into force on 1 January 2019 at the earliest for the parties (which must include HKC and at least four ASEAN Member States (AMSs)) that have completed their required procedures. (...)
The FTA covers trade in services with a positive-list approach. HKC has obtained AMS commitments regarding HKC's market access to AMS services, (...) while HKC made commitments in sectors that address the interests of individual AMSs, such as (...) environmental (...) services.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/380 |
S-III§4 |
Hong Kong, China |
2018 |
Measures |
Export licences, Import licences, Internal taxes |
Chemicals, Manufacturing |
Relevant information
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Any person or firm may engage in import and export activities in HKC. However, traders of controlled chemicals and dutiable goods (liquors, tobacco, hydrocarbon oils and methyl alcohol) must be licenced by the C&ED before commencing operations; traders of food products must register with the FEHD as prescribed by the Food Safety Ordinance (Cap. 612); and persons importing cars for commercial purposes must register as importers/distributors with the C&ED within 30 days of the commencement of their business. [5]
[5] In addition, under two new producer responsibility schemes that will come into effect in the second half of 2018, importers and local manufacturers of regulated electrical and electronic equipment, and glass beverage containers, to the local market will need to register with the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and pay a recycling levy for each product.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/380 |
S-III§25 |
Hong Kong, China |
2018 |
Measures |
Tax concessions |
Manufacturing |
Relevant information
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HKC applies a progressive "first registration tax" (FRT) on the taxable value of new motor vehicles, which is applied exclusively on imports as no vehicles are manufactured in HKC. The tax rates remained the same during the review period, ranging from 40% to 115% for private cars (Table 3.4). For environmental reasons, electric vehicles and environment-friendly commercial vehicles (goods vehicles, buses, light buses, taxis and special purpose vehicles) have been granted concessions on this tax (see also Section 3.3.1). For fiscal years 2017/18 to 2020/21, the FRT concession on private electric cars has been capped at HK$97,500, while the tax continues to be fully waived for commercial electric vehicles. In fiscal year 2018/19, the FRT concession on electric vehicles was continued, and a new "One-for-One Replacement" Scheme was introduced and will be implemented until 31 March 2021. Under this Scheme, private car owners who buy a new private electric car and scrap an eligible private car they own will enjoy a higher FRT concession of up to HK$250,000 when fulfilling certain conditions. In fiscal year 2017/18, the revenue collected from the FRT amounted to HK$8,583 million, or 1.4% of the estimated total revenue.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/380 |
S-III§27 |
Hong Kong, China |
2018 |
Measures |
Ban/Prohibition, Import licences |
Chemicals, Other |
Relevant information
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HKC prohibits or restricts the importation of certain items for reasons of public health, animal health, safety, security and environmental protection, or to comply with obligations under international treaties and agreements. (…)
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/380 |
S-III§28 |
Hong Kong, China |
2018 |
Measures |
Ban/Prohibition, Import licences |
Chemicals, Other |
Relevant information
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Prohibited items include ozone-depleting substances (unless covered under the Montreal Protocol), rough diamonds from countries not participating in the Kimberly Process, elephant ivory and elephant ivory products (unless exempted), hazardous waste [18], certain radio-communications apparatus , certain chemical products, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, fighting dogs and all species of the family Desmodontinae (vampire bats). Transit through HKC is prohibited for nuclear materials, and chemicals or biological weapons. Restricted imports include rough diamonds from countries participating in the Kimberly Process, controlled chemicals, pharmaceutical products including dangerous drugs, proprietary Chinese medicines and 36 Chinese herbal medicines, psychotropic substances and antibiotics, arms, ammunition, weapons, fireworks, sand, pesticides, strategic commodities, rice, animals, animal carcasses , animal products , plants, endangered species, game, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and frozen confections, radioactive substances and irradiating apparatus, and biological materials. Restrictions are generally administered through licensing schemes.
[18] Imports of hazardous waste from countries listed in Schedule 9 of the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Cap. 354), mostly EU and OECD countries, are prohibited.
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Keywords
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Bio
Endangered
Ozone
Hazardous
MEAs
Wildlife
Waste
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/380 |
S-III§29 |
Hong Kong, China |
2018 |
Measures |
Import licences |
All products/economic activities |
Relevant information
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HKC applies import licensing schemes essentially for public health, animal health, safety, security and environmental purposes, as well as to comply with international obligations and to facilitate the collection of excise duties (Table 3.6). Some of the products subject to licensing are listed in Schedule 1 of the Import and Export (General) Regulations (Cap. 60A) , while others are stipulated in respective ordinances.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/380 |
S-Table-III.6 |
Hong Kong, China |
2018 |
Measures |
Import licences |
Agriculture, Chemicals, Other |
Relevant information
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Table 3.6 Import licensing schemes, 2017
Goods Licensing authority Rationale
(…)
Ozone-depleting substances TID International obligation under the Montreal Protocol
(…)
Genetically modified organisms (intended for release into the environment) AFCD Biosafety; conservation of local biodiversity; international obligations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity
(...)
Endangered species of animals and plants AFCD International obligations under CITES
Non-pesticide hazardous chemicalsc Environmental Protection Department To protect human health and the environment in accordance with, inter alia, the principles of the Stockholm Convention and the Rotterdam Convention
Waste Environmental Protection Department To fulfil international obligations under the Basel Convention and to ensure the environmentally sound management of waste
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Keywords
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MEAs
Bio
Conservation
Endangered
Environment
Genetic
Hazardous
Ozone
Wildlife
Waste
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/380 |
S-III§31 |
Hong Kong, China |
2018 |
Measures |
Import licences, Import quotas |
Agriculture, Chemicals, Mining |
Relevant information
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The TID is also responsible for issuing import licences for rice, rough diamonds, pesticides (containing methyl bromide) and ozone-depleting substances. (…) Only ozone-depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol may be imported under licence, and quotas apply to imports of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). [26] Import licences for pesticides (other than methyl bromide) intended for the protection of public health, are issued by the AFCD under delegation from the TID. In 2014, 2015 and 2018, amendments were made to the Pesticides Ordinance (Cap. 133) to include nine more pesticides in order to reflect changes in relevant international conventions. [27]
[26] HCFC quotas are allocated on a yearly basis in accordance with the requirements of the Montreal Protocol. For details, see WTO document G/LIC/N/3/HKG/21, 28 September 2017.
[27] The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/380 |
S-III§34 |
Hong Kong, China |
2018 |
Measures |
Import licences |
Other |
Relevant information
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(…) The AFCD also issues licences for the import of animals and plants under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the special permits required for all live animals and birds imported into HKC. In 2014, amendments were made to the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) to take into account changes made to the CITES Convention. In January 2018, further amendments were made to ban, by phases, trade (i.e. import, re-export and domestic sale) in elephant ivory (unless exempted) in view of a recommendation by CITES. [31]
[31] The ban will be implemented in three phases, culminating with the prohibition on the possession for commercial purposes of all ivory, including pre-Convention and post-Convention ivory (except for antique ivory), from 31 December 2021.
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Keywords
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