Ten Hong Kong enterprises have been recognised as trusted partners of the Customs & Excise Department under the Authorized Economic Operator Programme.

They received certificates from Acting Deputy Commissioner of Customs & Excise Jimmy Tam at a presentation ceremony today.

The newly accredited members are mainly engaged in the business of importing and exporting, manufacturing and freight forwarding.

Mr Lam also announced the Mutual Recognition Arrangements signed earlier with Australia, Malaysia and Thailand will be fully implemented from March 1.

Under the arrangements, authorised economic operators will enjoy speedy customs clearance when exporting commodities to these three markets.

Forty-five enterprises have been accredited as Authorized Economic Operators under the programme since its launch in 2012.

They include multinational and small-to-medium-sized enterprises engaged in the business of importing and exporting, manufacturing, freight forwarding, terminal operation and warehouse trade in Hong Kong.

With the department’s targeted strategies in lining up mutual recognition arrangements with the economies along the Belt & Road region, the authorised economic operators can better explore the markets there by leveraging their accredited status and speedy customs clearance privileges.

Arrangements have so far been ratified with the customs administrations of the Mainland, India, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan and Australia, six of which are in the Belt & Road region.

Click here for a video on the programme.