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The Government published in the Gazette today (December 5) the Port Control (Cargo Working Areas) (Amendment) Regulation 2014 to increase in two phases the fee payable in respect of an operation area permit (OAP).
The fee for each month in respect of each square metre of an operation area will be adjusted from $10 to $10.5 per square metre per month from February 1, 2015, and the adjusted fee will increase to $11 per square metre per month from August 1, 2015.
"It is the Government's policy that fees and charges should in general be set at levels sufficient to recover the full cost of providing the services. To meet the increased cost of providing the services and facilities at Public Cargo Working Areas and taking into account the accumulative increase of the Composite Consumer Price Index by about 10.1 per cent from 1999 to 2012, where the OAP fee was first introduced in 1999 and has not been revised since then, we propose an increase of 10 per cent for the OAP fee, which is non-livelihood related, from $10 to $11 per square metre per month in two phases, with a view to minimising the possible impact on the trade," a spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau said.
The Regulations will be tabled at the Legislative Council on December 10. Subject to approval by negative vetting, the new fees will be commenced on February 1, 2015 and August 1, 2015 respectively.
Ends/Friday, December 5, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:40
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