Hong Kong Customs holds HKAEO Certificate Presentation Ceremony 2024
The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) held the Hong Kong Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Certificate Presentation Ceremony 2024 today (November 29) at the Customs Headquarters Building and presented AEO Certificates and Hong Kong AEO Programme Partnership Scheme Awards to Hong Kong AEOs. A signing ceremony of the AEO Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) Action Plan between Hong Kong Customs and Lao Customs was also held.
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Hong Kong Customs holds HKAEO Certificate Presentation Ceremony 2024 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs holds HKAEO Certificate Presentation Ceremony 2024 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs holds HKAEO Certificate Presentation Ceremony 2024 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs holds HKAEO Certificate Presentation Ceremony 2024 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The C&ED at the ceremony presented AEO Certificates to six new and 27 renewed AEOs. The Hong Kong AEO Partnership Awards were also presented to nine enterprises in recognition of their outstanding performance in promoting the Hong Kong AEO Programme. Since the implementation of the Hong Kong AEO Programme in 2012, the number of accredited enterprises has increased to 89.
In addition, witnessed by the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, and the Consul General of Laos, Mr Ammala Saenchonghack, the Assistant Commissioner (Excise and Strategic Support) of Customs and Excise, Mr Rudy Hui, and the Deputy Director-General of Lao Customs, Mr Vongvanhpheng Phoumsavanh, signed the Action Plan for the AEO MRA, marking a significant step towards the conclusion of the MRA.
Currently, the C&ED has ratified MRAs with 15 Customs administrations, including Mainland China, India, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Macao, China, and Bahrain. Under the MRAs, AEOs from the signatory countries or regions enjoy reciprocal trade facilitations including reduced Customs inspection and prioritised clearance. On expansion of the MRA network, the C&ED will continue to accord priority to discussions with the Belt and Road economies, particularly member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as African and South American countries.
About 150 guests, including Consuls General of Kazakhstan, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand, Honorary Consuls of Bahrain and Iceland, Vice Consul General of Saudi Arabia, customs attachés, representatives from Hong Kong AEO companies, trade associations, and industry stakeholders, attended the ceremony today to witness the ongoing efforts and achievements of the C&ED in enhancing trade facilitation and fostering international customs co-operation.
Moreover, the Lao Customs delegation visited Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (November 28) to understand the express cargo clearance operations of Hong Kong Customs.
Hong Kong Customs holds HKAEO Certificate Presentation Ceremony 2024 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs holds HKAEO Certificate Presentation Ceremony 2024 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs holds HKAEO Certificate Presentation Ceremony 2024 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs holds HKAEO Certificate Presentation Ceremony 2024 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
New requirements for mandatory fitting and wearing of seat belts and placing of mobile telecommunications devices while driving to be implemented from January 25
The Government today (January 8) reminded members of the public that, starting from January 25, all public transport and commercial vehicles' seated passengers must wear seat belts, and all drivers must not place more than two mobile telecommunications devices (MTDs) in front of them during driving, further enhancing road, passenger and driving safety.
All passenger's seats in public and private buses, rear passenger's seats in private light buses and goods vehicles (GVs), and driver's seats and all passenger's seats of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) must be equipped with seat belts in these vehicles first registered on or after January 25. Drivers and passengers occupying the seats of these vehicles (whether newly registered or not), where seat belts are fitted, are required to wear them. Studies show that wearing seat belts will reduce the risk of death and serious injury of drivers and passengers in head-on collisions by about 40 per cent and 70 per cent respectively.
Offending vehicle owners, drivers or passengers will be liable to a maximum fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for up to three months. All passengers occupying seats shall be responsible for wearing seat belts. Among them, any driver who still drives with a passenger aged under 15 seated in the rear seat of a GV or the passenger's seat of an SPV without wearing a seat belt will be subject to a maximum fine of $2,000.
The Government noted that the transport trades are ready for the new requirements. In franchised buses, all seats in newly procured buses have been equipped with seat belts. Together with existing double-deck buses retrofitted with seat belts on the upper-deck seats by operators under government subsidy, to date, around 3500 buses are now equipped with seat belts, representing about 60 per cent of the entire fleet in Hong Kong.
In addition, from the same day onwards, any driver must not place more than two MTDs (i.e. mobile phones, tablet computers or laptop computers) in front of them during driving. The diagonal length of each screen must not exceed 19 centimetres. The MTDs must not obstruct the driver's view of the road and traffic, as well as any mirror, device or camera-monitor fitted for viewing the roads. Offenders will be liable to a maximum fine of $2,000.
The Government has stepped up publicity and public education since November 2025. The Transport Department (TD) has strengthened collaboration with the Police, the Education Bureau, the Information Services Department, the Road Safety Council and the transport trades including public transport operators to introduce the legal requirements through websites, videos, media, social media, the "e-Bulletin for Parents" and publicity posters on traffic signal controllers across various districts. Franchised bus operators have also strengthened publicity and broadcast inside compartments and at bus stops to alert passengers to the new requirement of wearing seat belts.
Members of the public may refer to the TD's webpage on the new requirements on seat belts (www.td.gov.hk/en/road_safety/sb) and placing MTDs during driving (www.td.gov.hk/en/road_safety/mtd) or the Agent T Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AgentT.hk), or call the hotline 28042600 for details.
New requirements for mandatory fitting and wearing of seat belts and placing of mobile telecommunications devices while driving to be implemented from January 25 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
New requirements for mandatory fitting and wearing of seat belts and placing of mobile telecommunications devices while driving to be implemented from January 25 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
New requirements for mandatory fitting and wearing of seat belts and placing of mobile telecommunications devices while driving to be implemented from January 25 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
New requirements for mandatory fitting and wearing of seat belts and placing of mobile telecommunications devices while driving to be implemented from January 25 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
