Announcement

Another round of applications for the Professional Services Development Assistance Scheme is now open for new applications from 15th August to 15th October 2005. A self-explanatory letter sent from Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau is attached for your reference. Guide to Application and Application Form can be downloaded from their website : http://www.info.gov.hk/cib/psdas. The dealine of this round of application is 15th October 2005.

A briefing session on the Scheme will be organised by the Bureau on 26th September 2005. Details and registration form are also attached.

The fifth round of the SME Development Fund (SDF) Application is starting from 11 July to 31 Aug 2005. Our Members are invited to apply for the SDF to carry out projects which aim to enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong's SMEs.

For details of application, please refer to attached letter.

The record for the 2nd quarter of year 2005 is attached for your information.

Section 23 deals with failure to pay wages within 7 days and section 25 to pay wages and compensation upon termination.

This record is distributed by the Labour Department to selected parties every quarter. Accordingly, we will circulate to all members upon receipt.

You may take this into consideration in your management of sub-contractors.

The Competition Policy Advisory Group (COMPAG) has published its seventh annual report "COMPAG Report 2004-2005". The report outlines the Government's efforts to promote competition in various sectors during the period April 2004 to March 2005. In pursuance of the Government's "e-Government" initiative, the Report is published electronically and is available online at the COMPAG website (www.compag.gov.hk).

The Trade and Industry Department has launched that the 2005/06 SME Mentorship Programme is running now and inviting applications from SME proprietors. Participants can learn from and be guided by accomplished businessmen, senior executives and professionals. SME proprietors of locally registered companies which are established less than 5 years and employ fewer than 20 employees in Hong Kong are eligible to apply. Deadline for application is 24 June 2005.

For more details of the Programme, please visit the website at http://www.sme.gcn.gov.hk/smeop/english/mentorship_main_e.cfm.

A consultation exercise on the proposed versions for the above Code of Practice (CoP) conducted between July 2004 and September 2004 was completed. After the consultation exercise, EMSD had formed a working group to review and finalize the proposed revisions. The finalised version of the revised CoP is now attached for your reference.

The revised CoP is tentatively to be published in the gazette in August 2005.

Having informed by TDC, a captioned conference is co-organized by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects and the Shanghai Association of Architects, it will be held in June 2005.

The ninth issue of Quarterly Highlights (January - March 2005) produced by the Provisional Construction Industry Co-ordination Board (PCICB) has been published. It covered major developments occurring from January - March 2005.

Members can download the electronic copy of this publication from PCICB's website at http://www.pcicb.gov.hk.

The Government is committed to promoting competition to enhance economic efficiency and free trade, and to benefit consumers. The Competition Policy Advisory Group (COMPAG) chaired by the Financial Secretary was established in Dec 1997 to provide a high-level, dedicated forum to review competition-related issues with policy or systemic implications.

COMPAG reckons that promoting competition is not just a government matter. The community, in particular the business sector, also has an important role to play. With the support and contribution from chambers of commerce and trade organizations, COMPAG developed in 1002, a set of guidelines which aims to provide pointers with objective benchmarks and principles to assess Hong Kong’s overall competitive environment, to define and tackle anti-competitive practices, as well as to ensure consistent application of Hong Kong’s competition policy across sectors. You are encouraged to promote adherence to the guidelines by your organization, and to develop your won sector-specific codes of conduct on the basis of these guidelines.

The record for the lst quarter of year 2005 is attached for your information.

Section 23 deals with failure to pay wages within 7 days and section 25 to pay wages and compensation upon termination.

This record is distributed by the Labour Department to selected parties every quarter. Accordingly, we will circulate to all members upon receipt.

You may take this into consideration in your management of sub-contractors.

A self-explanatory letter from EMSD is attached for your information, which is advising us the latest information of the captioned.

The eighth issue of Quarterly Highlights (October - December 2004) produced by the Provisional Construction Industry Co-ordination Board (PCICB) has been published. It covered major developments occurring from October - December 2004.

Members can download the electronic copy of this publication from PCICB's website at http://www.pcicb.gov.hk.

We have been informed by Trade and Industry Department (TID) that the Central People's Government and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region agreed to a package of further liberalization measures (commonly known as "CEPA II") on 27th August 2004 and signed the Supplement to CEPA on 27th October 2004. The liberalization measures of CEPA II have come into full implementation since 1st January 2005.

A leaflet summarising the latest implementation details of CEPA published by TID is ready for distribution to interested parties. There are some copies keeping in our FEMC office for members' collection. If you are interested in getting copy, please contact me at 2519 3998 for arrangement. A soft copy of the leaflet is attached for your reference.

ASD has released FEMC a table showing the annual forecast of contracts that are anticipated to be invited by the Department in this year.
ASD has provided FEMC the following information by releasing relevant tables, which are

1) Forecast of Contracts 2005 - a table showing the annual forecast of contracts that are anticipated to be invited by the Department in this year.

2) Forecast of Consultancies 2005 - a table showing the annual forecast of consultancies that are anticipated to be invited by the Department in this year.

The record for the 4th quarter of year 2004 is attached for your information.

Section 23 deals with failure to pay wages within 7 days and section 25 to pay wages and compensation upon termination.

This record is distributed by the Labour Department to selected parties every quarter. Accordingly, we will circulate to all members upon receipt.

You may take this into consideration in your management of sub-contractors.

Construction Workers Registration (Levy) Notice was announced on the Gazette No.49/2004 dated 3 December 2004. It will come into operation on 24 February 2005. Attached herewith the Notice both in English and Chinese for your attention.

We have been informed by ETWB that the Trade and Industry Department (TID) has issued a notice announcing the updated procedures and requirements for applying for Certificate of Hong Kong Service Supplier. This notice is published at TID's website at the following address -

English : http://www.tid.gov.hk/english/aboutus/tradecircular/ntss/2004/ntss042004_index.html

Chinese : http://www.tid.gov.hk/tc_chi/aboutus/tradecircular/ntss/2004/ntss042004_index.html

The record for the 3rd quarter of year 2004 is attached for your information.

Section 23 deals with failure to pay wages within 7 days and section 25 to pay wages and compensation upon termination.

This record is distributed by the Labour Department to selected parties every quarter. Accordingly, we will circulate to all members upon receipt.

You may take this into consideration in your management of sub-contractors.

上海市未來基建發展可為香港建造業帶來的商機

To facilitate the stakeholders of our construction industry to explore business opportunities arising from the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, ETWB has collected their views and enquiries for reflection to the Shanghai authorities. ETWB has recently received from the Shanghai Municipal Construction & Management Commission (上海市建設和管理委員會) information regarding the opportunities for Hong Kong companies and professionals arising from the future infrastructure development in Shanghai.

根據《噪音管制條例》制定的良好管理手法

We have been informed by Environmental Protection Department that the new provisions of the NCO holding the management of bodies corporate personally liable for noise offences will come into operation on 8th October 2004. Its self-explanatory letter and information are both in English and Chinese attached for your attention and reference.