**********************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Economic and Employment Council Secretariat:
The eighth meeting of the Economic and Employment Council (EEC), chaired by the Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, was held today (December 16).
Members received reports on work progress from the Subgroup on Business Facilitation under the Council. Members noted the progress of work of the Subgroup and Task Forces so far, including deletion and simplification of the lease conditions and the establishment of a Town Planning Task Force to steer and oversee the regulatory review of planning issues to facilitate the pre-construction stage of development projects.
Members revisited the role of the Council vis-a-vis that of the recently established Commission on Strategic Development, particularly its Committee on Economic Development and Economic Co-operation with the Mainland (CSD Committee). It was concluded that the EEC in its present form should be disbanded given that its role in providing a forum to facilitate different sectors of the community to reach consensus on policies concerning economic development, attracting inward investment, and enhancing employment opportunities can be effectively taken up by the CSD Committee. A more focused approach will be taken to continue with the work of the EEC on business facilitation by the formation of a dedicated Business Facilitation Advisory Committee (BFAC), which will include both official and non-official members and will be chaired by a non-official member. BFAC will advise the Financial Secretary on measures to facilitate business and monitor the implementation of these measures. The Administration will proceed with the setting up of BFAC in the near future.
The Financial Secretary, as Chairman of the EEC, thanked members for their contributions towards the work of the Council, which has helped foster a general consensus or better understanding among different sectors of the community on government policies on various issues. Many constructive ideas arising from the discussions have also helped the Administration form a better focus of its work and refine its policy proposals. Furthermore, much has been achieved in the work of the Council in facilitating business, for example:
(a) Introduction of a composite licence covering retail licences or permits for 12 categories of ready-to-eat food;
(b) Introduction of a performance pledge to speed up the vetting and approval for fitting out works for setting up food retail shops in public housing estates to within seven days, and within 21 days for more complicated cases;
(c) Reduction in the number of consumer product categories to be regulated under the proposed Volatile Organic Compound regulation from 40 to six;
(d) Simplification of lease conditions in land leases by deletion of eight outdated or unnecessary Special Conditions or Sub-conditions and simplifying 14 others;
(e) Set up a mechanism for enquiry of the "before value" of land for special cases, thereby helping to speed up the processing of land exchange/lease modification cases; and
(f) Introduction of a "provisional licence" for cinemas and relaxing the regulation governing exit routes of cinemas located in non-domestic buildings or non-domestic parts of composite buildings.
Papers for the EEC meeting will be uploaded onto the internet (www.gov.hk/fso/eec/eng) to facilitate access by the public.
Ends/Friday, December 16, 2005
Issued at HKT 17:22
NNNN
