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3.85.   (...) Since January 2018, the HKAS[the Hong Kong Accreditation Service] has expanded the scope of its IAF[the International Accreditation Forum] MLAs[multilateral recognition arrangements] to cover energy management system certification, occupational health and safety management system certification, and greenhouse gas validation and verification. (...)

3.88.   The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) is one of the responsible departments for the enforcement of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures in Hong Kong, China. Together with its policy bureau – the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB), the FEHD, through its Centre for Food Safety (CFS), is responsible for food safety and related issues. The EEB was established on 1 July 2022, following the reorganization of government structure. It has expanded the policy functions of the former Environment Bureau by taking over the policies on environmental hygiene, food safety, agriculture and fisheries, and veterinary public health, from the previous Food and Health Bureau (FHB). The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) remains the main body responsible for animal health and plant protections. (...)

3.89.   (...) In 2020, the Government made amendments to the Public Health (Animals and Birds) (Licensing of Livestock Keeping) Regulation (Cap. 139L) to remove restrictions under the Regulation, allowing chicken farms to be moved to more suitable locations and implement more comprehensive biosecurity measures, thereby reducing the risk of disease outbreaks, human infection by avian influenza, and environmental contamination, as well as minimizing antimicrobial usage.

3.111.   (...) In 2023, to promote and encourage environmental protection, social responsibility and governance (ESG)[101] in government procurement, the Government assigned dedicated weighting to ESG in the quality assessment of government tenders. (...)
[101] Under the pro-innovation procurement policy, ESG proposals refer to measures that improve environmental protection, sustainability, governance, or social responsibility. These measures may, but do not need to be directly relevant to the services being procured, but can bring about positive values/benefits to the Government, and/or the public at large. Examples of such positive values or benefits may include measures that could contribute to environmental protection such as using green materials/products, reducing energy consumption, or promoting waste reduction in the execution of the contract; or improving social responsibility through employment of people with disabilities, and/or rehabilitated persons for the contract.

3.115.   Since 2000, Hong Kong, China has promoted a Green Procurement policy to take into account environmental considerations when conducting procurement. This entails, inter alia, improved recyclability, greater energy efficiency, and utilizing clean technologies.[104] Hong Kong, China has designated "green specifications" and now has a Green Procurement list of 183 items in 24 categories that aids in the selection of products and services that are better for the environment.[105] An updated Memorandum[106] sets out additional measures to expand environmentally friendly procurement processes; green specifications in the tender process may be "mandatory" or "desirable", depending on market availability.[107]
[104] EPD, Green Procurement. Viewed at: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/how_help/green_procure/whatisgreenprocurement.html.
[105] EPD, 183 Green Procurement Items. Viewed at: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/how_help/green_procure/pdf/Green%20Specifications%20of%20183%20Items_ENG.pdf.
[106] Environment Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 1/2021, Green Procurement in the Government. Viewed at: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/how_help/green_procure/scr/ENB_CM_1-2021.pdf.
[107] EPD, Environment Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 1/2021. Viewed at: https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/how_help/green_procure/scr/ENB_CM_1-2021.pdf. Environment Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 1/2021 superseded Environment Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 6/2015.

3.121.   (...) Hong Kong, China's GPA schedule covers all goods; services in certain areas, e.g. computer, rental/leasing, other business, courier, telecommunications, environmental, transport, and some financial services; and all construction services. (...)

4.3.   Between 2018 and 2022, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) continued to be responsible for assisting in the production and marketing of agricultural produce, enforcing regulations, and preserving ecological integrity.

4.4.   According to the authorities, there has been no change to the trade regulatory regime in the agriculture sector since the previous Review, and the focus of the agricultural policy, which is to promote the modernization and sustainable development of local agriculture, has remained unchanged under the New Agriculture Policy (NAP) issued in 2016. (...)

4.8.   (...) Support measures include the AFCD[the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department]'s crop specialists undertaking research in pest control, crop husbandry, soil management, (...) During the review period, the Controlled Environment Hydroponic Research and Development Centre was established to advance hydroponic technology and facilities for the industry and investors. According to the authorities, hydroponic technologies are intended to optimize use of space, reduce labour power, and improve production efficiency. (...).

4.10.   During the review period, the authorities continued to provide loans on concessional terms and emergency relief in times of natural disasters. (...)