Hong Kong

• Labeling Requirements
• Licensing
• Required Documents
• Import Procedures
• Taxes/Tariffs
• Contacts

LABELING REQUIREMENTS
                                               
The Food and Drugs Composition and Labeling Regulations require food manufacturers and packagers to label their products in a prescribed, uniform and legible manner.  The following information must be marked on the label of all prepackaged food in either English and/or Chinese (if both English and Chinese are used in the label, the name of the food and the list of ingredients shall appear in both languages).

• Product name
• Manufacturer’s name and address
• List of Ingredients - (should be listed in descending order of weight or volume in metric units)
• Additives, if any
• Alcohol content
• Weight and Volume of the product (in metric units)
• Durability period (for alcoholic beverages that have an alcoholic strength of more than 1.2 percent but less than 10 percent)

Please refer to FAS report HK5021 for more information on the code of practice for the labeling of alcoholic drinks: http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200507/146130400.pdf.

GM (Genetically Modified) Food Labeling:

There is currently no labeling requirement for biotech foods or foods containing ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms.  Please refer to the FAS Attaché reports for the most recent updates on biotechnology regulations in Hong Kong: http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/attacherep/default.asp.

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LICENSING

Local importers must apply for a license from the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department for the importation of dutiable commodities (i.e. alcoholic beverages).  In addition, a licensed importer must apply for a permit for each and every shipment.

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REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

The following is a list of the documents that are required when importing into Hong Kong:

• Commercial Invoice
• Packing list
• Pro forma Invoice
• Copy of detention notice (if any)
• Bill of lading, airway bill or other similar document
• Other documents such as import license, removal permits, etc (please consult with an importer for other documents that may be required for your specific product).

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IMPORT PROCEDURES

When a shipment arrives and before its release, the products will be inspected and if necessary sampled.  Once the product has been approved for release, a “release” letter will be issued to the importer.

Please note that the importer is required to lodge an import declaration with the Customs and Excise Department within 14 days after the importation of the goods.

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TAXES/TARIFFS

The Hong Kong Government levies no import tariffs.  However, domestic consumption taxes (referred to as “duties”) are imposed on certain goods, including alcoholic beverages.  These taxes are levied equally on local manufactures and imports.  The current duties (as of 12/2005) are as follows:

Beer & liquor with less than 30% alcohol: 40%
Liquor with more than 30% alcohol: 100%
All wines: 80%
Distilled spirits: 100%

Please contact the Customs and Excise Department for more information:

Customs and Excise Department
8/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2852-3048
Fax: (852) 2581-0218

For the most current tariffs and taxes applied to imported products for this country, please visit the Online Tariff Database provided by Tariffic at: http://www.tariffic.com/ITA/, and click on “On-The-Fly Tariffeed”.  Please ensure you have a 10-digit HS classification code in order to obtain tariff information.  Also see the Census Bureau’s Schedule B search function (http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/schedules/b/index.html), which allows you to classify your product according to United States export codes. Simply click "Search" and enter the keyword (i.e. beer) that best describes your product.

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CONTACTS

Most of the information in this guide was obtained from direct contact with various governmental organizations and embassies, as well as online sources.  The FAS Attaché reports at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/attacherep/default.asp served as the primary (online) sources used for this report.

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