First published: 30th April 2010
Hong Kong's Trade and Industry Department has gazetted an Order to amend amend Schedules 1 and 2 of the the Import and Export (Strategic Commodities) Regulations. The changes to Schedule 1 remove control of goods incorporating cryptography, but not having it as a primary function, or specifically produced for entertainment, mass commercial broadcast, DRM or medical records management. The changes to Schedule 2 remove information security products from the "more sensitive" group for strategic trade control, remove the license requirement for encryption devices in transit through Hong Kong, and allow encryption devices to be given license exemption under the Air Transshipment Cargo Exemption Scheme, if they fulfil all the terms and conditions of the Scheme.
The Order will be tabled at the Legislative Council on 5 May 2010, and will come into effect as announced by the Director-General of Trade and Industry in a notice published in the Gazette.