Author Archives: hksar gov

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced toda… read more

     The Government today (November 6) gazetted the United Nations Sanctions (Democratic Republic of the Congo) Regulation 2019 (Amendment) Regulation 2026 (Amendment Regulation), which came into operation today.
 
     “The Amendment Regulation amends the United Nations Sanctions (Democratic Republic of the Congo) Regulation 2019 to give effect to certain decisions relating to sanctions in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2825 in respect of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” a Government spokesman said.
 
     The amendments renew the arms embargo, travel ban and financial sanctions.
 
     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has long been implementing fully the sanctions imposed by the UNSC. The Amendment Regulation aims to give effect to the instructions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for fulfilling the international obligations of the People’s Republic of China as a Member State of the United Nations. read more

     The Government today (November 6) gazetted the United Nations Sanctions (Libya) Regulation 2019 (Amendment) Regulation 2026 (the Amendment Regulation), which came into operation today. 
 
     “The Amendment Regulation amends the United Nations Sanctions (Libya) Regulation 2019 to give effect to certain decisions relating to sanctions in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2819 in respect of Libya,” a Government spokesman said.
 
     The amendments renew the sanctions measures in respect of preventing illicit petroleum exports from Libya, and reflect the latest exemption arrangements and scope of individuals and entities in respect of a travel ban and an asset freeze.
 
     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has long been implementing fully the sanctions imposed by the UNSC. The Amendment Regulation aims to give effect to the instructions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for fulfilling the international obligations of the People’s Republic of China as a Member State of the United Nations. read more

     The Government published the Electronic Transactions (Amendment) Bill 2026 (the Bill) today (November 6) to facilitate the digitalisation of “Business-to-Business” (B2B) trade documents.

     A spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said, “The Bill puts into effect the measure announced in the 2025-26 Budget and the 2025 Policy Address to promote the digitalisation of B2B trade documents, so as to reduce administrative costs for businesses and improve the traceability of trading activities, with a view to maintaining and strengthening Hong Kong’s competitiveness as an international trading centre.”

     The Bill makes reference to the Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) advocated by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. It provides a legal framework aligned with international standards for the digitalisation of transferable documents (common examples include bills of lading, bills of exchange and promissory notes), thereby fostering the wider use of electronic transferable records on the basis of functional equivalence with their paper counterparts. The Bill provides for the option of using electronic documents and does not replace paper documents compulsorily.

     The Bill will add a new Part to the Electronic Transactions Ordinance (Cap. 553) specifically applicable to electronic transferable records. The new Part will largely follow the framework of the MLETR, as well as the principles of functional equivalence and technological neutrality, and address the notions of uniqueness, control, and reliability in an electronic environment through reliable methods.

     The spokesman added, “A total of 13 jurisdictions have enacted legislation modelled on the MLETR, including some of Hong Kong’s key trading partners such as the Mainland, France, Singapore and the United Kingdom. As an international financial, shipping and trade centre, Hong Kong must ensure that its legal regime is aligned with international standards so as to keep pace with the global trend of trade digitalisation. The Bill will help promote cross-boundary interoperability and create a favourable environment for the industry to develop technological solutions according to practical needs, thereby enabling Hong Kong to maintain its competitive edge in the era of digital trade.”

     The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for First Reading and Second Reading on November 18. read more

     The Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 2026 (the Order) was gazetted today (November 6) to subject the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited (Park Company) to more stringent anti-corruption control than a private organisation through having it being specified as a public body defined in the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (Cap. 201) (POBO).
      
     The Order specifies the Park Company as a public body. Consequentially, all directors of the Board of Directors and employees of the Park Company will become public servants under the POBO, who will be subject to more stringent controls in the dealings relating to their work in the Park Company including prohibition from soliciting or accepting any advantage. Furthermore, persons having dealings with the Park Company will be subject to the relevant sections of the POBO which make bribery and corrupt dealings in connection with public bodies and public servants under various circumstances an offence.
      
     A spokesperson for the Development Bureau said, “The Park Company is wholly owned by the Government through the Financial Secretary Incorporated, and is responsible for the development and operation of the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park with a view to bringing in more industries in an accelerated manner to the Northern Metropolis (NM). In the light of the Park Company’s public function of attracting enterprises and promoting investment in the NM and the need for it to interact with external parties, it is in the public interest to regulate it as a public body under the POBO. In fact, Schedule 1 of the POBO currently specifies over 140 public bodies, including some similar organisations responsible for driving industry development.”
      
     The Order will be tabled before the Legislative Council (LegCo) at its sitting of November 11, 2026 (Wednesday). Subject to the negative vetting by the LegCo, the Order will commence operation from January 29, 2027. read more