Replies to initial written questions raised by Finance Committee Members in examining the Estimates of Expenditure 2012-13 Director of Bureau : Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Session No. 12 File name : cedb(cit)- doc
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- Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2012-13
Question : According to the Administration, resources will be allocated in 2012-13 so as to continue to oversee the implementation of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). However, many members of the business community, especially small and medium enterprises and professionals, reflected that they encountered a lot of difficulties in their operation even though they entered the market under the preferential treatments provided by the CEPA. Will the Administration introduce more specific measures in the 2012-13 financial year to help our enterprises and professionals in the Mainland market overcome the operational difficulties? If yes, what is the action plan and estimated expenditure? If not, what are the reasons? Asked by : Hon. LAM Kin-fung, Jeffrey Reply : The Government attaches great importance to the effective implementation of the “Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement” (CEPA). We work closely with the Mainland authorities at central, provincial and municipal levels to address and follow up on problems encountered by Hong Kong enterprises (including the small and medium enterprises and professionals) in using CEPA preferential treatments in the Mainland. Apart from providing free information and advisory services on CEPA, the Trade and Industry Department (TID) has established a notification mechanism with the Mainland authorities on the promulgation of relevant regulations and implementation details, and disseminates relevant information on its CEPA website for reference by the trade. Hong Kong enterprises can also approach the Hong Kong Trade Development Council China Business Advisory Unit, which comprises representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, Guangdong Province, Shanghai Municipality and Fujian Province, for advice on the regulatory regime and application details of the relevant service industries in the Mainland. If Hong Kong enterprises encounter difficulties in using CEPA benefits, they can contact TID, offices of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in the Mainland, or the relevant policy bureaux and departments. We will render assistance as appropriate having regard to the nature of the problems involved. The CEPA-related work outlined above is carried out by a number of government agencies. The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (Commerce, Industry and Tourism Branch) is responsible for the overall policy on CEPA; TID oversees bilateral discussions on further liberalisation and implementation of liberalisation measures under CEPA; and individual bureaux and departments deal with liberalisation and specific implementation issues in the relevant service sectors. The resource requirements are absorbed by relevant bureaux/departments respectively, and we do not have information on the actual amount involved.
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