Hong Kong Customs extends FTA Scheme to Myanmar and Honduras
Hong Kong Customs today (October 1) extended the Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme (FTA Scheme) to cover transshipment cargoes from the Mainland to Myanmar via Hong Kong, and from Honduras via Hong Kong to the Mainland.
The scope of service of the FTA Scheme originally covers cargoes of 69 economies under 21 trade agreements signed between the Mainland and its trading partners to be transshipped northbound via Hong Kong to the Mainland, and the Mainland transshipment cargoes heading southbound via Hong Kong for Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Nicaragua and Australia under eight trade agreements signed.
Upon the extension, local traders starting from today can apply to Hong Kong Customs for a Certificate of Non-manipulation for the purpose of claiming a preferential tariff under the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Co-operation between the Association of South East Asian Nations and the People's Republic of China or the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, and the Early Harvest Arrangement of the China-Honduras Free Trade Agreement, for cargoes from the Mainland transshipped to Myanmar via Hong Kong, and those from Honduras transshipped to the Mainland via Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Customs will make persistent efforts to extend the coverage of the FTA Scheme to enable more goods passing through Hong Kong to enjoy tariff concessions provided under relevant trade agreements, assist enterprises to tap into new markets, and reinforce Hong Kong's leading status as a logistics hub.
Hong Kong Customs has implemented the FTA Scheme since December 20, 2015, to provide traders with Customs supervision service and issue the Certificate of Non-manipulation to certify transshipment cargoes that have not undergone any further processing during their stay in Hong Kong. For applications, please visit www.customs.gov.hk/en/service-enforcement-information/trade-facilitation/fta/procedure/index.html.