Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Automatic Exchange of Information) Bill 2026 to be introduced into LegCo for First Reading and Second Reading

Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Automatic Exchange of Information) Bill 2026 to be introduced into LegCo for First Reading and Second Reading

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (April 1) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Automatic Exchange of Information) Bill 2026 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.

On Members' motions, Dr Hoey Simon Lee will move a motion on "Exploring collaborative legislation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area". The motion is set out in Appendix 1. Mr Wu Yingpeng, Mr Duncan Chiu, Dr Thomas So, Mr Andrew Yao, Ms Maggie Chan, Mr Shiu Ka-fai, Prof Priscilla Leung and Prof Michael Ngai will move separate amendments to Dr Hoey Simon Lee's motion.

Mr Nick Chan will move a motion on "Holistically reviewing and enhancing legislation relating to child protection". The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Mr Chong Ho-fung, Ms Maggie Chan, Mr Tang Fei, Mr Tang Ka-piu, Reverend Canon Peter Douglas Koon and Ms Grace Chan will move separate amendments to Mr Nick Chan's motion.

On other Members' motions, Mr Dennis Leung and Ms Chan Hoi-yan will move two separate proposed resolutions under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 1) to extend the period for amending subsidiary legislations. The proposed resolutions are set out in Appendix 3 and Appendix 4 respectively.

Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.

The agenda of the above meeting is available on the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.

The Legislative Council (LegCo), Photo source: AP image

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes

An incoming passenger was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (March 30) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted an incoming male passenger, aged 30, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (March 29), and seized about 20 900 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $86,000 and a duty potential of about $69,300, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk)or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases