On 18 Dec 2014, a new Agreement was signed between China and Hong Kong on achieving Basic Liberalization of Trade in Service in Guangdong, which allowed the accredited testing labs in Hong Kong to undertake testing of products in the “Audio and Visual Apparatus” category of the CCC systems.
Intertek Hong Kong, as one of the approved testing labs in Hong Kong accredited by Hong Kong Accreditation Services (HKAS) on selected products listed in the CCC categories which are manufactured in Guangdong Province of Mainland China under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), can undertake testing in Hong Kong on CCC Mark for ‘AUDIO and VISUAL APPARATUS’ that are designed and prototyped in Hong Kong as well as processed or manufactured in Guangdong Province by collaborating with Mainland certification bodies. At the moment, Intertek Hong Kong is ONE of the two approved testing labs of ‘Audio & Visual Apparatus’ in HONG KONG.
By now, only one category ‘Audio & Visual Apparatus’ is liberated at this stage, Intertek Hong Kong also has accreditation on other categories such as electrical switches, protective and connection devices, household & similar electrical appliances, information technology equipment, lighting apparatus as well as toys, which is anticipated to be gradually opened in the next year or two. Intertek Hong Kong is indeed the only testing lab in Hong Kong to qualify for testing on electrical switches, protective, and connection devices.
CEPA Agreement on Liberalisation of Trade in Services in Guangdong China: Measures on Testing and Certification
On 18 December 2014, a new Agreement was signed under the framework of the CEPA between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) and the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) for the purpose of basic liberalisation of trade in services between Guangdong China and Hong Kong.
The scope and measures for liberalisation under CEPA and its Supplements have been listed positively. The Agreement extends the measures given in Guangdong Province by previous CEPA Supplements to other parts of the Mainland in the area of voluntary certification. In respect of the mode of service supply in the form of commercial presence, the Mainland will not impose any particular restrictions for eligible Hong Kong service suppliers in Guangdong Province in terms of market access requirement (i.e. they can enjoy the same treatment as the Mainland enterprises) except for those inconsistent/inapplicable measures reserved as well as the measures on standards management.
The achievement of liberalisation will enable Hong Kong investors to take early advantage of opening up the Guangdong market in various service sectors. The framework and content of the Agreement also sets a model for basic liberalisation of trade in services nationwide next year.
Measures in the Agreement will be implemented from 1 March 2015.
The government's press release giving some background information can be found by following the link -
