The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning January 20:
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at noon today (January 14), public hospitals have admitted three patients in the past 24 hours who have been to Wuhan in the past 14 days and presented with fever, respiratory infection or pneumonia symptoms. The patients concerned have not visited wet markets in Wuhan before the onset of symptoms.
 
     Including the above-mentioned cases, the Hospital Authority (HA) has reported 71 patient cases since December 31, 2019. Specimens of the patients concerned have been sent to the Department of Health (DH) for testing. Among all the suspected cases, 60 have been discharged and those patients staying in hospitals are in stable condition. 
 

 
     The HA will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.

The following is issued on behalf of the Business Facilitation Advisory Committee Secretariat:
 
     The Business Facilitation Advisory Committee held its 41st meeting today (January 14). At the meeting, members received a briefing from the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) on the Single E-lock Scheme (SELS) and Hong Kong Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme.
           
     Jointly launched by the C&ED and the Mainland Customs, the SELS targets inter-modal transhipment cargoes between Hong Kong and Guangdong. By means of electronic lock and GPS equipment, the SELS streamlines the customs clearance process and expedites cargo flow. The AEO Programme aims at facilitating the cross-boundary movement of goods and enhancing international supply chain security. Enterprises accredited as Hong Kong AEOs may enjoy customs facilitations in terms of reduced inspection and priority clearance.
      
     The Committee expressed appreciation of the efforts made by the C&ED in taking forward the above measures to facilitate cargo clearance for imports and exports while balancing the need to maintain effective controls.
 
     The Committee also noted the work of its three task forces:
 
Wholesale and Retail Task Force (WRTF)

• The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and HKMC Insurance Limited (HKMCI) briefed members on the Government's proposal to introduce a new 90 per cent guarantee product under the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme administered by the HKMCI. The WRTF welcomed the new loan guarantee product which assisted SMEs to tide over potential financing difficulties due to the economic downturn.
• The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) briefed members on the "Salt/Sugar" Label Scheme for Prepackaged Food Products. The WRTF appreciated the CFS' promotion efforts which would be conducive to the consumers in making the right choice when purchasing food.

 
Food Business and Related Services Task Force (FRSTF)

• In order to tide enterprises over financial difficulties, the Government announced a series of support measures to the food business. Among them, the FEHD and the Drainage Services Department briefed the FRSTF on the support measures relating to the waiver of licence fees and trade effluent surcharge.
• Under the prevailing food business licensing regime, the FEHD briefed members on the relaxed licensing requirements for the provision of independent chimney for premises and cashier activity within food preparation area. This allows the trade greater flexibility in meeting actual operational needs.
• The Buildings Department (BD) and Independent Checking Unit under the Transport and Housing Bureau briefed members on the Self Certification System by Authorised Person to allow operators to adopt third-party certification in the alteration of the layout plans of food premises for more flexible arrangement of their business operations.
• The FRSTF appreciated the departments' efforts in implementing the business facilitation measures to reduce the trade's administrative burden, responding to their enquiries and listening to their concerns.

 
Task Force on Business Liaison Groups (BLGTF)

• The Home Affairs Department (HAD) briefed members on a number of business facilitation measures to facilitate licence applications for hotel/guesthouse and club premises. The BLGTF thanked the HAD for the measures which would enhance the efficiency and transparency of the licence application process.
• To streamline the application processing for Temporary Places of Public Entertainment Licences, the BD briefed members on its initiative to allow Authorised Persons/Registered Structural Engineers to provide certification on temporary structures that have been pre-accepted by the BD. The Fire Services Department briefed members on the proposal to relax the exempt quantity for compressed carbon dioxide in response to the trade's concern, so as to facilitate the business operations of food kiosk operators inside the theme parks.
• The BLGTF thanked the departments concerned for their efforts in implementing these measures to facilitate the development of the relevant industries.

 
     The Committee also expressed appreciation of the commitment and achievements of the bureaux and departments in further enhancing their business licensing services under the "Be the Smart Regulator" Programme.
      
     Papers for the Committee meeting are available at www.gov.hk/en/business/supportenterprises/bf/advisory/index.htm for public access.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 14) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Komárom-Esztergom County, Hungary, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from the district with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Hungary for import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. In the first nine months of last year, 2 315 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Hungary were imported into Hong Kong according to the Census and Statistics Department.

     "The CFS has contacted the Hungarian authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

The following is issued on behalf of the Travel Industry Authority:
 
     The Travel Industry Authority (TIA) held its first meeting today (January 14) and approved agenda items relating to its work plan, governance framework, rules of procedures, mechanism of declaration of interests and other corporate administrative matters.
 
     The TIA is a new statutory regulatory body of the travel industry established under the Travel Industry Ordinance (Cap. 634). Its functions include promoting the integrity, competency and professionalism of travel agents, tourist guides and tour escorts through a statutory licensing and regulatory system, and regulating shops that inbound tour groups are arranged to patronise.
 
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, said, "The Government attaches great importance to the healthy development of the travel industry in Hong Kong. The establishment of the TIA marks a milestone in the industry's development. We will work closely with the TIA and the trade to enhance the quality of our travel industry and promote its long-term healthy development."
 
     The Chairman of the TIA, Mr Ma Ho-fai, said, "As a new statutory regulatory body of the travel industry in Hong Kong, the TIA is entrusted with the important task of implementing the new regulatory regime under the Ordinance by taking over the industry regulatory and licensing functions from the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong and the Travel Agents Registry respectively. The TIA will work closely with different stakeholders in setting up a new robust regulatory regime for the travel industry."
 
     At the meeting today, six committees, namely the Disciplinary Committee, the Codes and Guidelines Committee, the Licensing Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Development Committee and the Corporate Services Committee, were set up to follow up on work in different respective areas.
 
     With a view to completing all necessary preparations in about two years for the full implementation of the new regulatory regime, the TIA will commence a series of work projects, including drafting subsidiary legislation and formulating licensing frameworks, directives, guidelines and codes of conduct.