HONG KONG: The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) presented certificates to three companies in a ceremony to recognise their compliance with the accreditation criteria under the Hong Kong Authorized Economic Operator (HKAEO) Programme for extra clearance facilitation.
With the three newly accredited companies, the number of HKAEOs has increased to 28 since the formal launch of the Programme in April 2012. The members include multinational companies, local manufacturers and small and medium-sized enterprises engaging in importing/exporting, manufacturing, freight forwarding, terminal operating and warehouse operating business. Being the trusted partners of the C&ED along the international supply chain, they are entitled to clearance facilitation benefits such as less inspection or prioritised clearance.
The development of authorised economic operator (AEO) programmes has become a global trend.
A large number of economies, including most of Hong Kong’s principal trading partners, have rolled out their programmes and some of them have established mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) among themselves. Under an MRA, AEOs of both signatory economies can enjoy clearance benefits provided by the other side. Currently, the C&ED has ratified MRAs with the Customs administrations of the Mainland, India, Korea, Singapore and Thailand, among which the MRAs with the Mainland, Korea and Singapore are in full implementation.
The C&ED is in the process of discussing MRAs with Malaysia and Japan Customs and will take active steps to develop MRAs with other principal trading partners of Hong Kong including the European Union with a view to bringing more business opportunities to local import, export and logistics industries, thereby helping to sustain Hong Kong’s long-term economic development.
