The Government published the Import and Export (Amendment) Bill 2025 in the Gazette today (March 21) to make technical amendments to the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60) and other relevant pieces of legislation for the implementation of Phase 3 services of the Trade Single Window (TSW).
A spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said, "The Government is implementing the TSW in three phases to provide a one-stop electronic platform for the trade to lodge business-to-government trade documents for trade declaration and cargo clearance. The Bill aims to provide the legal basis for Phase 3 of the TSW, such that the trade can make use of the system to submit Import and Export Declaration (TDEC), Cargo Manifest as well as applications for Certificate of Origin (CO) and Permit for Dutiable Commodities (DCP)."
At present, the Government Electronic Trading Services (GETS) is the only electronic platform for the submission of TDEC, Cargo Manifest and applications for CO and DCP, which are governed by different pieces of legislation. To implement Phase 3 of the TSW, the Government proposes to make technical amendments to relevant existing legal provisions to replace GETS by the TSW for the submission of those trade documents, and to remove GETS-related provisions from the legislation.
In addition, the Bill makes necessary legislative amendments for some of the Phase 3 services, including the introduction of value-added service provider and its regulatory framework, allowing the trade to submit pre-shipment TDEC and Cargo Manifest on a voluntary basis, the introduction of electronic road Cargo Manifest and the digitalisation of return of licences service. The Bill also includes provisions on transitional arrangements to allow parallel run of TSW Phase 3 and GETS for a certain period of time to provide sufficient time for the trade to migrate to the new system.
"The implementation of the TSW is a major business and operational process reengineering exercise. It overhauls and enhances the document submission workflows between participating government agencies and the trade. At the same time, it enhances the efficiency of cargo clearance in Hong Kong and helps maintain Hong Kong's status as an international trade centre and a logistics hub. The Government is developing the information system of Phase 3, with the target of rolling out the services by batches from 2026 onwards," the spokesman added.
The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for first and second readings on April 2.
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