control to be carried out, where necessary, by the competent authorities.
If the destination of the products you intend to export is only and exclusively the Hong Kong market should not be any problem, however, if you want to re-export some product to Mainland China, then these must be pre-certified following the CCC standard.
For reasons relating to the protection of public health and safety and the environment, the entry of certain goods into the territory is conditional upon obtaining an import license from the Trade and Industry Department (http: //www.tid .gov.hk) or other accredited body. Among the goods subject to compliance with this formality, the following stand out: textile materials and their artefacts; animals and plants; certain foodstuffs (eg meat of animals); pesticides and chemicals; medicines and pharmaceuticals; weapons and ammunition; radioactive substances; motor vehicles; and telecommunications equipment.
Although there are some exceptions, importers should submit an Import Declaration to the Commissioner of Customs and Excise Department (http://www.customs.gov.hk) from the days following the transaction of the goods (http://www.customs.gov.hk/en/cargo_clearance/declaration/index.html). Failure to comply with this formality leads to the application of criminal sanctions.
In Hong Kong there is no central authority responsible for standards, but there are several organizations with different competencies. The Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS) is the body responsible for certification and accreditation. The Standards and Calibration Laboratory (SCL) is the authority dealing with measurement standards. The Product Standards Information Bureau (PSIB) provides information on local and international standards, as many international standards are also applicable in Hong Kong.
There are standards for a variety of products, some examples from the list below:
• Animals and plants
• Boilers and pressure vessels
• Building and construction materials
• Pesticides and further chemicals
• Consumer goods
• Drugs and medical devices (please refer also to the section on Medical Devices above)
• Electrical products
• Foodstuffs
• Information and communications technology
• Lifts and escalators
• Radioactive substances and irradiating apparatus
• Toys and children's products
• Transport equipment.
While most of the standards are only voluntary, some are mandatory for the sale of products in Hong Kong and are registered as technical regulations, such as safety regulations for electrical household products. In this case, a Certificate of Safety Compliance is required and specific information must be provided on the product or on a follow-up note (see the respective section on Packaging and Labelling Requirements).
Furthermore, particular electrical appliances are subject to the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme (MEELS), i.e. they must be listed with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) and thus obtain a reference number. Moreover, they must display a respective energy label (see the section on Packaging and Labelling Requirements). Since 2009, the concerned products are room air conditioners, refrigerating appliances and compact fluorescent lamps and, since 2011, also washing machines and dehumidifiers.
Certification Scheme (CCS), for which type approval is obligatory. The responsible authority, i.e. the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA), accredits certification bodies (CBs) to conduct type approvals.
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