3 December 2004

Dear Sir / Madam,

Quarterly Survey of Participation in the Commercial Credit Reference Agency (CCRA)

In the light of the launch of the CCRA on 1 November 2004, we have made some changes to the survey form after consultation with the industry working group on CCRA as attached. The new form should be used for future reporting, starting with the position as of 31 December 2004. Please also note that the frequency of the survey and the time allowed for completion will revert back to quarterly and one month respectively (i.e. the next submission covering the position as of 31 December 2004 should reach the HKMA by 31 January 2005).

AIs not engaged in lending to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are no longer required to complete the survey. They should however confirm in writing on or before 15 January 2005 that they are not engaged in SME lending and have no plan of doing so in the near future. The confirmation letter should be addressed to your institution’s usual contact at the HKMA.

The template of the survey in Excel format and the submission instructions will be sent to you in late December 2004 through the STET system. If you have any questions concerning data input and return submission, please contact our helpdesk on 2878 1800. For enquiries regarding the contents of the survey, please contact Miss Ivy Wong on 2878 1599 or Mr Alfred Wong on 2878 1292.

Yours sincerely,

(Raymond Chan)
Division Head
Banking Development Department