The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Hermes Tang, and the Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service (KCS), Mr Kim Yung-moon, attended the 33rd Customs Cooperation Conference between the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) and the KCS at the Customs Headquarters Building today (April 10) in Hong Kong.

     During the meeting, the two sides updated each other on issues of mutual interest. Various topics including the implementation of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement on respective Authorized Economic Operator Programmes, intellectual property rights enforcement and the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Transhipment Facilitation Scheme were also discussed.

     At the end of the conference, Mr Tang and Mr Kim signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on co-operation and mutual assistance in the rules of origin administration under the China-Republic of Korea FTA. The MoU recognises the C&ED as an issuing authority of Certificates of Non-Manipulation for cargoes from Mainland China transshipped through Hong Kong to Korea, making them eligible for preferential tariffs under the FTA.

     Customs co-operation conferences have been held between the C&ED and the KCS since 1980 on a regular basis, aimed at enhancing co-operation and experience exchange in enforcement and trade facilitation.

Ends/Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Issued at HKT 16:30

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