FREE TRADE AGREEMENT TRANSHIPMENT FACILITATION SCHEME

At present, under relevant free trade agreements (FTAs) signed by Mainland China with other economies, consignments are generally required to be shipped directly between Mainland China and its FTA signatories so as to enjoy tariff reduction.  However, consignments routing through a third place shall be regarded as direct consignment and be eligible for tariff benefits under certain circumstances, in particular, if they remain under the control of Customs or other designated parties of the third place.  Under the FTA Scheme, the C&ED of HKSARG has extended certain existing customs facilitation measures to cover all FTAs of Mainland China.  Specifically, C&ED will provide facilitation services and issue certificates under conditions agreed with the relevant authorities for goods passing through Hong Kong, so as to allow traders to benefit from the tariff reductions under respective FTAs signed by Mainland China.

As far as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is concerned, the FTA Scheme covers transhipment cargo in Hong Kong heading for Mainland China under the following three agreements:

• Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Co-operation between the ASEAN and the People's Republic of China
• The China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
• The Asia Pacific Trade Agreement

Pease click here for an information note on the FTA Scheme (including a full list of FTAs covered) .  For more details of the FTA Scheme, please visit the following web page: http://www.customs.gov.hk/en/trade_facilitation/fta/index.html.

Should you have any enquiry about the FTA Scheme, please contact C&ED via email: fta_enquiry@customs.gov.hk or telephone: (852) 3152 0233. 

Source : Information provided by HKETO