Committee on Import Licensing - Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures - Notification under article 5.1 to 5.4 of the Agreement - Hong Kong, China

AGREEMENT ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES

NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 5.1 TO 5.4 OF THE AGREEMENT[1]

HONG KONG, CHINA

The following communication, dated 3 October 2025, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Hong Kong, China.

 

 

Category

Notification details

1

Notifying Member

Hong Kong, China

2

Title of new legislation/procedure

Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Amendment of First Schedule) (No. 2) Order 2025 (DDO Order)

3

Date of Publication

16 July 2025

4

Date of entry into force

18 July 2025

5

Website link/Official publication of the new regulation/procedure

Press release:

https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202507/16/P2025071600662.htm?fontSize=1

DDO Order: https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/2025/ln172!en

6

Have you attached a copy of the regulation (PDF) to the Secretariat

[X] Yes. (Please attach a copy of the regulation to the notification.)

812-DDO (No.2) Order 2025.pdf

[] No.

7

Type of notification

[] (a) New licensing regulation/procedure[2]; (please answer question 8 to 14)

 

[X] (b) Changes to a regulation/procedure which has been previously notified in document: G/LIC/N/2/HKG/14, G/LIC/N/2/HKG/19, G/LIC/N/2/HKG/22, G/LIC/N/2/HKG/29 and G/LIC/N/3/HKG/29  (please answer question 15 and 16)

8

List of products subject to licensing

 

 

9

Nature of licensing

Automatic: []

 

Non-Automatic: []

10

Administrative purpose/measure being implemented

(a)

                             

Protect public morals;

(b)

                             

Protect human, animal or plant life and health; protect environment;

(c)

                             

Collect trade statistics or market surveillance;

(d)

                             

Protection of patents, trademarks and copyrights, and the prevention of deceptive practices;

(e)

                             

Pursue obligations under the UN Charter and other international treaties (i.e. CITES, Basel Convention, Rotterdam Convention, UNSC Resolutions etc.)

(f)

                             

Quota (including TRQ) administration;

(g)

                             

Regulate imports of arms, ammunition or fissionable materials and safeguard national security;

(h)

                             

Other: ______________ (please specify)

11

Administrative body(ies) for submission of applications

 

12

Contact point for information on eligibility

 

13

Expected duration of licensing procedure

 

14

A summary of the notification in one of the WTO official languages

 

 

 

15

In the case of 7(b), please indicate the type of new change(s)

(a)

                             

Termination

(b)

                             

Suspension

(c)

                             

Modification of specific details in existing

procedures:

                             

Product coverage;

                             

Administrative purpose;

                             

Automatic or Non-automatic;

                             

Duration of licensing;

                             

Change the nature of quantity/value restriction;

                             

Eligibility of applicants;

                             

Contact information on eligibility;

                             

Administrative body(ies) for submission of application;

                             

Documentation requirements (including application form);

                             

Period for Application;

                             

Administrative body(ies) to issue licence;

                             

Processing time for issuing licence;

                             

Licence fee/administrative charge;

                             

Deposit/advance payment and relevant conditions;

                             

Appeal regulations/procedures;

                             

Validity of licence;

                             

Other conditions of licence (extension, transferability, penalty of non-use etc.);

                             

Foreign exchange requirements;

                             

Other:

16

Please elaborate the changes in detail (in one of the WTO official languages)

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (DDO) (Cap. 134), substances included in Part I of the First Schedule are dangerous drugs and are subject to the control of a licensing scheme administered by the Department of Health (DH).  The manufacture, import, export and supply of these substances will require respective licences issued by DH.  With effect from 18 July 2025, the DDO Order has imposed control on the following by placing them under the First Schedule to the DDO:

(a) any compound (not being a compound for the time being specified in subparagraph (a) in Part I of the First Schedule) structurally derived from etomidate by modification in any of the following ways - (i) by replacement of the ethoxycarbonyl by any other alkoxycarbonyl or any haloalkoxycarbonyl group; (ii) by substitution in the phenyl ring to any extent with alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, halogeno or haloalkyl substituents (under Hong Kong Harmonized System (HKHS) code 29332900);
(b) N-Pyrrolidino protonitazene (under HKHS code 29339900);
(c) N-Pyrrolidino metonitazene (under HKHS code 29339900);
(d) N-Piperidinyl etonitazene (under HKHS code 29339900);
(e) N-Desethyl isotonitazene (under HKHS code 29339900);
(f) Hexahydro derivatives of cannabinol and their 3-alkyl homologues (under HKHS code 29329900); and
(g) Carisoprodol (under HKHS code 29241990).

 

 

The amendment aims to deter any potential trafficking and abuse of these dangerous drugs. This will help fortify Hong Kong's defence against drugs.

__________



[1] It is understood that the notifying Member has also completed its notification obligations under Article 1.4(a) and Article 8.2(b) regarding the relevant law/regulation/procedure notified for by filling this form in a full and complete manner.

[2] "New licensing regulation/procedure" is understood to refer to any newly introduced law, regulation or procedure, and those which are in force but being notified for the first time to the Committee.