LCQ11: Standards in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
28.6.2023

Following is a question by the Hon Kennedy Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (June 28): Question: The authorities of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on jointly promoting the development of standards in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA Standards) in Shenzhen with a view to strengthening the advancement of the development of GBA Standards. The relevant list of GBA Standards covers a total of 110 items in 25 fields. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the procedures for setting the GBA Standards, the departments and organisations involved and the latest work progress; (2) of the procedures and time required for the industries to apply for adoption of the GBA Standards; (3) whether there is a first batch of items in Hong Kong that has been approved to adopt the GBA Standards; if so, of the types and numbers of the items concerned; if not, the expected time when the first batch of items will be approved to adopt the GBA Standards, as well as the details of the items concerned; and (4) whether the authorities have promoted and publicised the adoption of GBA Standards among organisations and enterprises in the relevant industries, so as to enable them to be aware of and understand the GBA Standards; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? Reply: President, The consolidated reply to the four parts of the question raised by the Hon Wong is set out below: The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Standards can promote the interconnectivity and integrated development of the three places, deepening Hong Kong's economic and trade exchanges and co-operation with the Mainland and Macao. In this connection, the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on jointly promoting the development of the GBA Standards on April 24, 2023, to promote the harmonisation of rules in relevant sectors in the region, and improve product and service quality. The list of GBA Standards announced on the same day of signing the MOU covers a total of 110 items in the fields of food quality and safety, Cantonese cuisine, transportation, mechanical and electrical products, as well as medical care, nursing care, education, e-sports, etc. These 110 items are drawn up after the Guangdong authorities' liaison with various relevant groups and enterprises from the trade, related government departments and organisations, universities and experts in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and are formulated after public consultations. The GBA Standards and related information are available on the GBA Standard Information Public Service Platform (GBA Standard Platform) ( www.gbsrc.org.cn ) for public access. The Platform is managed by the Standardization Research Center for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA Standardization Research Center), which was established jointly by the People's Government of Guangdong Province and the nation's Standardization Administration. The GBA Standards are non-compulsory in nature, and the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao welcome and encourage voluntary adoption of the GBA Standards by the relevant trades. The formulation of the GBA Standards involves many sectors, as well as relevant technical and professional knowledge. The Trade and Industry Department (TID) is responsible for co-ordinating the participation of relevant bureaux/departments of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSARG) in the work on the GBA Standards, and maintaining close contacts with relevant authorities of Guangdong Province and Macao. With regard to the GBA Standards already announced, the TID has invited relevant bureaux/departments to promote their use by industrial, commercial and professional organisations and enterprises under their respective purviews. The Innovation and Technology Commission has also provided the testing and certification sector with the latest relevant information upon announcement of the list of GBA Standards with a view to helping the testing and certification sector prepare for the provision of the GBA Standards certification services. The GBA Standardization Research Center plans to issue guidelines later this year regarding the formulation of a new round of the GBA Standards, and invite applications from the trade in the three places. Interested organisations and enterprises should submit applications through the GBA Standard Platform in accordance with the specific requirements set out in the guidelines, for the GBA Standardization Research Center's assessment and examination. The TID will continue to liaise with relevant authorities of Guangdong Province and Macao with regard to the formulation of the new round of the GBA Standards, and co-ordinate within the HKSARG to jointly take the relevant work forward. Upon issuance of the new guidelines, the TID will issue a Commercial Information Circular promptly to encourage the trade to submit applications for the GBA Standards, and will also invite the relevant bureaux/departments to encourage organisations and enterprises under their respective purviews to submit applications.