The Government announced today (September 21) implementation details of the new measure on testing and certification under the Agreement on Trade in Services signed under the framework of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA).

     The Agreement introduces a new liberalisation measure of "implementing, on a pilot basis, a mutual recognition arrangement of certification and relevant testing business among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone, with a view to carrying out 'certified once, tested once, and results accepted by three places'".

     To implement the new measure, testing organisations in Hong Kong may co-operate with designated Mainland organisations to provide the testing required by China Compulsory Certification (CCC) on products processed or manufactured in the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone (regardless of where the products are designed or prototyped). Testing organisations in Hong Kong should obtain the Hong Kong Accreditation Service's accreditation for the relevant tests. In addition, certification organisations in Hong Kong may partner with designated Mainland organisations to deploy factory inspectors to conduct CCC factory inspections on CCC product manufacturers in the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone. Factory inspectors should acquire the relevant Mainland qualifications.

     The Implementation Guide has been uploaded to the website of the Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification (www.hkctc.gov.hk).

     A Government spokesman said, "According to the Implementation Guide, the Mainland has for the first time extended the scope of liberalisation in CCC testing to all products processed or manufactured in the free trade zones in Guangdong. It also, for the first time, allows certification organisations in Hong Kong to deploy personnel to conduct CCC factory inspection on the Mainland. These measures have opened a new chapter of co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in respect of testing and certification, and would be beneficial to the local sector in the long term."

Ends/Thursday, September 21, 2017
Issued at HKT 14:30

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