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On November 17, 2003, the Government will extend the certification service of Hong Kong Service Suppliers (HKSS) to all 18 services sectors under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) so they can apply to the relevant Mainland examining authorities for preferential treatment under CEPA, a spokesman for the Trade and Industry Department (TID) said today (November 14).
As stipulated in Annex 4 to CEPA, the Mainland has granted preferential treatment to Hong Kong service suppliers in the telecommunications sector from October 1, 2003, and will grant preferential treatment to 17 other sectors listed therein from January 1, 2004. Service suppliers in Hong Kong will be able to gain better access to the Mainland market provided that they have fulfilled the definition and related requirements of Hong Kong service suppliers stipulated in Annex 5 to CEPA. In this regard, a service supplier as a juridical person should apply to TID for a Certificate of HKSS before it applies to the relevant Mainland's examining authorities for provision of the relevant services in the Mainland under CEPA.
To help Hong Kong service suppliers to obtain "first mover" advantage, TID launched the HKSS certification service for the telecommunications sector on October 2. "The HKSS certification services will be extended to all other service sectors under CEPA on November 17, 2003," the spokesman said.
Detailed application procedures for Certificate of HKSS for all service sectors under CEPA have been promulgated in Notice to Service Suppliers No. 2/2003 issued by TID on November 14, 2003, which is also available at TID's website (www.tid.gov.hk/english/cepa/). Service suppliers concerned may submit their applications for a Certificate of HKSS starting from November 17.
For enquiries, please contact:
Hong Kong Service Supplier Certification Section
Trade and Industry Department
11/F, Trade and Industry Department Tower
700 Nathan Road, Mongkok, Kowloon
Tel: 3403 6428
Fax: 3525 0988
Email: hkss@tid.gov.hk
Ends/Friday, November 14, 2003
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