Efficiency

A one-stop process has been introduced by the Companies Registry, in collaboration with the Securities and Futures Commission and the Inland Revenue Department, to facilitate the trades in registration and incorporation of new Open-ended Fund companies. 

A one-stop electronic company incorporation and business registration service has been launched to reduce the time required for setting up a company significantly to less than an hour.  

A One Stop Centre for Warehouse Construction Permits has been set up for receiving applications as well as coordinating joint inspections for two-storey warehouses to streamline the procedures for building construction permits. (Please click here for more details)

One-stop licensing services have been introduced for premises-based licences such as restaurant, cinema/theatre, hotel, guesthouse licences which require consideration by different departments so that applicants only need to submit the application to the licensing department without having to visit individual departments. 

The application procedures for new water meters for the catering industry have been streamlined, which has significantly reduced the processing time of handling applications for new water meters from more than 100 days to 30 days facilitating early commencement of business.   

The procedures of initial vetting of new applications for registration of non-local courses under the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance have been streamlined by advancing the referral to the external authority for academic assessment and processing of assessment fees to reduce turnaround time for course registration by around 15 calendar days. 

The authority of approving straightforward cases of certain types of applications has been delegated from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong to designated public officers to reduce the processing time by obviating the need for discussion in the relevant Committee/Board meetings. 

Business facilitation measures have been introduced to facilitate licence applications for hotel/guesthouse premises including simplifying the standard licensing requirements and supporting documents for report of works completion, streamlining the workflow for new applications and publishing a performance pledge on processing of report of completion, encouraging submission of required documents to the licensing authority in one go and streamlining the details to be shown on layout plans and streamlining the procedures for alteration works.  

Processing of liquor licence applications for “non-contested cases” has been streamlined by authorizing the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department  to examine the cases on behalf of Liquor Licensing  Board and launched the Liquor Licence Processing System to facilitate business operators to apply for new licences, renew licences, transfer licences and track the application progress through the Internet.  

A “cancel and reissue” approach has been adopted to shorten the application time of land licences related to the transfer of restaurant licences. 

Ten improvement measures (including relaxing the pre-requisite for outside seating accommodation (OSA) applications such that areas underneath or partially covered by overhanging structures used for alfresco dining are acceptable and allowing OSA permission to be attached to the provisional restaurant licence, etc.) were put in place to enhance the transparency and shorten the processing time for the applications for OSA of restaurants which also offer the trade greater flexibility in their business operation. 

Registered companies can submit various company forms and related documents online to fulfill their reporting responsibilities, which not only shortens the time for submitting documents, reduces the cost of complying with regulations, but also improves the efficiency of updating company registers and facilitates business. 

The Pharmaceuticals Licence Application and Movement Monitoring System (PLAMMS) has been developed to automate the business processes related to the issuance of import and export licences, thus allowing DH to more effectively prevent drugs imported solely for re-export purpose from entering the local market illegally as well as eliminating the need for courier services and shortening the time required for approving the import and export licences for unregistered pharmaceutical products to one day. 

An online platform for innovation and technology (I&T) collaboration (“E&M InnoPortal”) has been developed to facilitate joint effort among the government departments, public organisations, the electrical and mechanical (E&M) trades, start-ups and academic institutes in promoting and driving research and development as well as application of E&M related I&T. 

An e-Levy System has been implemented to provide an electronic platform for travel agents to make levy payments through the System and handle related matters online, for example, to generate e-levy stamps for instant issue of receipts to customers online. 

An e-payment system has been introduced for licence applications, fire services certificates and matters relating to fire service installation contractors to enhance the customer-friendliness and efficiency of making payment by trade operators. 

E-submission of application forms and e-billing/ e-payment of demand notes for new issue / renewal of Security Company Licences are allowed hence providing greater user-friendliness and convenience to applicants/ licensees. 

An Online Booking System for Dangerous Goods Vehicle (DGV) Inspection has been introduced to enhance customer-friendliness by facilitating applicants to make appointment online at any time.