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Exports
Looking to conduct your export/import business over Internet or to buy online goods from Hong Kong safely and easily? Export Portal has a solution for you, by helping buyers and Hong Kong's sellers to locate each other, negotiate directly on the portal and successfully transact business over Internet. Connect with thousands of Hong Kong's sellers, Hong Kong's manufacturers, Hong Kong's suppliers and browse through their company listings and multiple product catalogs.
Hong Kong has an export oriented economy with 98 percent of shipments coming from re-exports. Major exports are electronics and household electrical appliances which account for 58 percent of total exports. Other exports include clothing and footwear, textile yarn and fabrics, toys and games and watches and clocks. Major export partners of Hong Kong are China, the United States, the European Union, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea.
It is noteworthy to mention that international trade is Hong Kong's most important activity. Its government policy towards foreign trade reflects Hong Kong's status as a world center of free trade. This policy includes minimum restrictions, thus allowing market forces to regulate exports and imports. Consumer goods and light manufactures are the main exports of Hong Kong. These categories comprise apparel and clothing, electrical machinery, textiles and fabrics, office supplies and data processing equipment, watches and clocks, telecommunications equipment, jewelry, printed matter, plastics, toys, games, and sport equipment.
Export Portal stocks up an unbeatable selection of all these export products and even more offered by regional and global quality Manufacturers, Wholesalers, Sellers, exporters and suppliers from Hong Kong. This is your best online one-stop destination where worldwide buyers connect with verified suppliers. Find featured Hong Kong Food brands, Hong Kong's Clothing and Textile Products, Hong Kong's Office Supplies, Hong Kong's Sport Equipment Supplies, and hundreds of other products to export from Hong Kong.
Customs requirements of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Customs Contacts
Website: http://www.customs.gov.hk/
Phone: 852-2815 7711
Foreign trade is Hong Kong's most essential economic activity. Its government policy towards trade reflects Hong Kong's status as a center of free trade. The given policy implies minimum restrictions and allows the market forces to regulate exports and imports. Hong Kong is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, World Trade Organization, World Customs Organization, International Monetary Fund and other international organizations.
Import Procedure:
For almost all of its imports, Hong Kong requires only a commercial import declaration within 14 days of the shipment. If these goods are imported constantly and regularly from the same country and do not have a value of more than EUR 100, then by special arrangement it is possible to make a monthly declaration. The commercial declaration is not needed and it is not necessary to inform the authorities beforehand for some products, like samples or aircraft parts meant for maintenance.
The goods shipped to Hong Kong should be accompanied by the following documents needed for imports:
- Bill of lading, Certificate of origin, Commercial invoice, Import license, Insurance certificate
- Packing list, Pre-shipment Inspection, Proforma Invoice
- Shipping Company's certificate
- Export declaration of the shipper
Tariffs
Hong Kong is a free port without any customs tariffs, quota, surcharge, value-added taxes nor general services taxes. Excise duties are only imposed on four kinds of dutiable commodities including liquors, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil and methyl alcohol. With the exception of spirits (over 30 per cent alcoholic content on volume basis), there are no duties or tariffs imposed on imports of food and beverages.
Non-tariff barriers
As a global trading hub, Hong Kong does not maintain non-tariff measures for the protection of domestic industries. However, Hong Kong does impose a range of non-tariff measures to protect public health, safety, security and the environment. These non-tariff measures typically come in the form of license requirements and are issued by the License Branch of the Trade and Industry Department. In certain cases, import licence applications must be endorsed by other Hong Kong departments.
Import licences are required for the following items:
- rice
- ozone depleting substances
- rough diamonds
- mainland cereals and grain flour
- wine exports to mainland
- powdered formula
Product certification, labeling and packaging
The import of food and beverages into Hong Kong is subject to the control of various local food laws and regulations pertaining to:
- bacteriological or microbiological standards
- preservatives
- food colours
- metal and mineral oil content
- contamination by harmful substances
Special certificates
Health certificates are required for live animals, meat, poultry and dairy products. Department of Agriculture certificates are the only official health certifications recognised by the Hong Kong authorities. Importers of live animals, meat, poultry, ice cream, wine and rice have to be either licensed or registered with the authorities Hong Kong.
Labelling and marking
Food labelling regulations
Import of food and beverage products, whether packaged for retail or catering sectors, must comply with the local composition and labelling regulations.
Labelling can be in English or English-Chinese (bilingual). Generally, these require all products to be labelled with:
- name and address of the manufacturer
- net weight
- list of ingredients
- special storage instructions
- expiry date
In many cases, it is acceptable to leave the original English label unchanged. However, the expiry date and other important information should be printed in English and Chinese.
A declaration of the presence of allergenic substances, listed below, must be specified in the list of ingredients:
- cereals containing gluten (namely wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, their hybridised strains and their products)
- crustacean and crustacean products
- eggs and egg products
- fish and fish products
- peanuts, soybeans and their products
- milk and milk products (including lactose)
- tree nuts and nut products
Changes to the labelling of food additives regulations require ingredients of a pre-packaged food to be listed by both their functional class and their specific name or identification number under the International Numbering System (INS) for Food Additives.
Nutrition labelling regulations
The Amendment Regulation introduces a nutrition-labelling scheme, which covers two types of nutrition information on food labels: nutrition labelling and nutrition claims.
All general pre-packaged foods are mandated to carry a nutrition label, unless the food product is an exempt pre-packaged food under Schedule 6 of the Amendment Regulation. However, the Amendment Regulation is not applicable to formula and food intended to be consumed principally by children under the age of 36 months and other food for special dietary uses.
The nutrition label must contain information on energy plus seven core nutrients:
- protein
- carbohydrates
- total fat
- saturated fatty acids
- trans fatty acids
- sodium
- sugar
In addition, the amounts of any claimed nutrients (i.e. nutrient content, comparative or function claims) must be listed. If a nutrition claim related to any type of fat is made, the nutrition label should also include the amount of cholesterol.
A small volume exemption may be applied for products with a total sales volume in Hong Kong of less than 30 000 units a year, provided the products do not make any nutrition claims.
Packaging
There are no special packing requirements. In general, extreme humidity may cause rust and mildew and goods likely to be affected should be packed in weatherproof materials. Dangerous goods must be marked with labels indicating the appropriate usage.
Documents for import/export:
- Commercial invoice (minimum2 copies; fax signatures are not acceptable), indicating the description of the goods, country of origin, quantities, number of packages, marks, prices, freight charges and insurance details.
- Bill of lading
- Packing list
Public health requirements
Import of game requires the prior permission of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and import of meat and poultry is confined to sources recognised by the department. To facilitate release of consignments, importers are encouraged to provide official health certificates issued by health authorities of exporting countries.
Any plant imported into Hong Kong must be accompanied by a Plant Import Licence issued by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and a valid Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the competent authority in the country of its origin.
Medicines are required to be registered under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance. The purpose is to ensure that medicines available for sale are safe, effective and of good quality.
The commonly found prohibited items are:
- dangerous drugs
- psychotropic substances, controlled chemicals and antibiotics
- arms, ammunition and fireworks
- strategic commodities
- rough diamonds
- animals
- plants
- endangered species
- telecommunication equipment
- game, meat, poultry
- powdered formula
Sources:
http://www.customs.gov.hk/en/cargo_clearance/declaration/
https://www.stc.tid.gov.hk/english/circular_pub/stc7_04.html