The Trade & Industry Department has started accepting applications for Hong Kong wine exporters' registration.

The registration is to complement the customs facilitation measures the Mainland and Hong Kong will introduce for wine entering the Mainland through Hong Kong. The facilitation measures will be implemented as a pilot in Shenzhen soon.

The registration will facilitate the customs clearance of wine entering through designated ports in the Mainland, exported by designated Hong Kong exporters registered with the department, and imported by designated Mainland importers registered with Mainland Customs.

Through their Mainland import partners registered with Shenzhen Customs, registered Hong Kong exporters may, from June 15, make use of the facilitation measures at Shenzhen ports for their wine entering the Mainland through Hong Kong.

Facilitation measures

They may ask Shenzhen Customs to conduct wine duty valuation 10 working days before the shipment is imported into the Mainland. When the shipment arrives on the Mainland, Shenzhen Customs will normally complete the customs procedure within one working day.

If no pre-valuation has been conducted, Shenzhen Customs will normally complete the clearance within three working days for wine that has been imported into the Mainland before, provided that all necessary documents have been submitted.

For wine new to the Mainland market, the relevant process will normally take seven working days. If customs clearance cannot be completed within that timeframe, the Mainland importers may ask for release upon paying a guarantee deposit.

Voluntary arrangement

The registration is voluntary. Non-registered wine exporters may continue to export wine to Shenzhen in accordance with the general procedures of Mainland Customs.