Page 85 - OHKF_Biotech_EN

| Facilitating the passage of up three import-export service platforms for biological materials to
bio-materials and medical devices offer a swift one-stop customs clearance service, thereby
shortening the approval time for exporting special items and
between Hong Kong and Shenzhen importing biological materials from 20 days to three working days,
such platform is not available at the HK-SZ border. Moreover, the
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Recommendation 7.1 Optimising the Single E-lock Scheme launched by customs of both cities does
mechanism by which Mainland bio-materials not cover biological materials.
are transported across the border into the
Hong Kong park To optimise the import-export regime for biological materials, the
Central Government announced 16 policies regarding the
Although the cross-border flow of goods into the Loop has seen construction of the GBA in November 2019. They include “easing
improvement in some areas, the Mainland’s export regime in restrictions on export of human genetic resources to Hong Kong
relation to biological materials and samples still needs to be and Macao”. In July 2020, the HGRAC approved three
optimised. subsidiaries, hospitals, and research institutes of Hong Kong
tertiary education institutions in the Mainland to be pilot
Under the Regulation of the People’s Republic of China on the organisations of human genetic resource management, which
Administration of Human Genetic Resources issued in 2019 by the means these institutions can apply for human genetic resources in
State Council, export or joint research with foreign institutions of the Mainland for research purposes in Hong Kong. Building on this
genetic resources and information are subject to approval by the development, we recommend the establishment of a HGRAC
Human Genetic Resources Administration of China (HGRAC). subsidiary in the Loop to optimise the Mainland’s export
Furthermore, these articles are subject to customs control, regime in relation to biological samples. It can also improve
meaning the import-export inspection and quarantine procedures the import-export inspection and quarantine procedures for
are complicated and stringent, and involves approval and human genetic resources by Mainland and Hong Kong
examination by various departments including the Customs, health Customs, so that eligible Hong Kong institutions, research
quarantine authorities, the Science and Technology Innovation institutes and enterprises may utilise said resources in the
Commission, and the State Administration for Market Regulation. Loop, provided that appropriate risk management protocols
Although the General Administration of Customs of China has set
are in place.

85 Launching the Single E-lock Scheme in 2016, the Customs and Excise Department of the HKSAR Government and the Mainland Customs make use of one single e-lock and the technology
of GPS on the principle of “Across the Boundary with One Single E-lock under Separate Monitoring” to reduce duplicate inspection on the same shipment by both customs authorities at the
boundary, thereby streamlining the clearance process and expediting the flow of transhipment cargoes. Since biological materials are goods controlled by licence or permit, it is not covered
by the Scheme.
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