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< Back Hong Kong Business Updates 26 November 2020 Online What are your views on the current challenges and opportunities for European companies looking to do business in Hong Kong? What are your thoughts on year 2021? What are your views on the current challenges and opportunities for European companies looking to do business in Hong Kong? What are your thoughts on year 2021? What impact would the latest Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) bring to Hong Kong? This webinar is co-hosted by the Austrian, Danish, German, Norwegian and Finnish Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong. Join us to find out more! Speakers: Frederik Gollob , Chairman, The European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Hans Poulis, Chairman, Netherlands Hong Kong Business Association; Vice-Chair, The Federation of Hong Kong Business Associations Worldwide Anson Bailey, Head of Consumer & Retail, ASPAC; Head of Technology, Media & Telecoms, Hong Kong, KPMG Moderator: Daisy Ip, Director, UK, Benelux and Ireland, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, London Date: 26th November 2020 Time: 09:00GMT; 10:00CET; 17:00 HKT Fees: HKD80 for Members; HKD120 for Non-Members Do not hesitate to contact us if you have further enquiries. Previous Next

< Back Electoral reform approved unanimously in Beijing The Standard 31 Mar 2021 The National People’s Congress Standing Committee has approved Hong Kong’s electoral system overhaul in Beijing today. The number of directly elected seats in the Legislative Council has been cut to 20 from 35. Electoral reforms were approved unanimously by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee in a vote of 167-0. Tam Yiu-Chung, Hong Kong’s sole representative to the Standing Committee of the NPC, said the amendment of Annex I and Annex II of the Basic Law was approved. Under the reforms, the Election Committee will be allowed to select 40 members to an expanded Legislative Council. Find the full article here . Previous Next

< Back Joint Happy Hour 7 July 2022 Patza, Tai Kwun ​ HKGCC's Europe Committee and the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (EuroCham) have teamed up to host a joint Happy Hour on 7 July from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Pazta, Tai Kwun . After months of restrictions, Hong Kong has now eased its social-distancing measures so we can enjoy some in-person networking events again. Join us for this opportunity to reconnect with members of both chambers. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Your ticket includes canapes and a free-flow of drinks (red wine, white wine, Prosecco, Rose, Pazta Cocktail). Places are limited, so please book early to secure your place. Covid-19 Restrictions: To ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable evening, participants will need to follow the Covid-19 regulations: All participants must have received three doses of Covid-19 vaccine, and are required to present proof of vaccination onsite. All participants are required to use the LeaveHomeSafe app to enter the venue. Participants who do not comply with the above requirements will not be able to join the event and no refund will be given. No walk-ins allowed. Previous Next

Careers Interested in joining our team? View our available positions below, or send us your CV to see if you could be a fit! If you would like to know how our past trainees found their experience, view their interviews here . Marketing Trainee Starting Date: ASAP Duration 3-6 onths Job Summary: ​ EuroCham is looking for a Marketing Trainee for a period of 3 to 6 months. Please note that this role is voluntary. The Trainee should ideally be a student of marketing, design, web programming or any related fields. Responsibilities: ​ ​1. Content creation and management: Design and produce marketing materials, including website content, newsletters, social media posts, press releases, and promotional materials. Ensure consistency in brand messaging and maintain the Chamber's online presence. Familiarity with basic design concepts and tools: Canva, Wix. 2. Implementing marketing strategies: Collaborating with the marketing manager to implement social media, website and marketing plans and campaigns that align with the Chamber's objectives and target audience. 3. Event coordination and promotion: Supporting the planning, organization, and promotion of Chamber events, such as seminars, workshops, networking sessions, and conferences. Collaborating with internal teams and external partners to ensure seamless execution. Requirements: ​ • Design and web design skills. • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English. • Excellent copywriting and content creation abilities, keen eye for detail and accuracy. • Experience in managing social media platforms and utilizing digital marketing tools. • The ability to work on multiple projects at one time. Ability to produce materials quickly and on short notice. Independent worker. Awareness of deadlines. Time management skills. • Highly motivated, proactive. Able to work independently and as part of a team. The position is in hybrid mode, both out of our office in Causeway Bay and remotely. Duties and requirements may shift based on the organization's needs and priorities. To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter to marketing@eurocham.com.hk Contact Us At the moment there are no vacancies. We update our job openings frequently, so be sure to check back on a regular basis for new opportunities to join our team Project Coordinator Trainee Starting Date: TBD EuroCham is looking for a Project Coordinator Trainee for a period of 3 to 6 months. Please note that this role is voluntary. The Trainee will assist EuroCham's Business Councils with their lobby & advocacy activities as well as support EuroCham’s General Manager with the overall operations. The Trainee should ideally be a student of international relations, management, economics studies, or any related fields. ​ The Projects Coordinator Trainee’s responsibilities will include: Participating in the meetings of the councils and assisting the members in the research and analysis of European-related business, trade and investment issues in Hong Kong based on particular councils’ industry sector Conducting interviews with stakeholders, summarising information, and writing reports Managing and assisting in various events organised by the councils Providing clerical and administrative support to the team About EuroCham’s Business Councils The aim of the Business Councils is to discuss common challenges member companies are facing, provide a platform for dialogue with Hong Kong authorities, and publish position papers to put forward recommendations to the Hong Kong Government. The councils consist of members from various leading companies in their respective fields. EuroCham currently manages seven Business Councils and one Working Group representing specific industries: European Automotive Council (EAC) Wine and Spirits Business Council (WSBC) European Tourism and Travel Business Council (ETTBC) Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) Application Please apply by emailing your CV, cover letter and Hong Kong visa status to businesscouncils@eurocham.com.hk Contact Us

< Back 24 March 2022 EuroCham Survey on the impact of Covid-19 on the business community In an effort to voice the concerns of our members, we conducted a survey on the impact of COVID-19 on the business community this February. The purpose of the survey is to examine the challenges faced by the European Chambers of Commerce members represented in EuroCham and, more broadly, by Hong Kong’s business community as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the policies of the HKSAR Government. We are now ready to present the results of this survey and hope that this information is valuable for the business community in Hong Kong. Previous Next

< Back Coronavirus: Hong Kong quarantine changes ‘a setback’ and threat to city’s financial hub status, European business chamber warns South China Morning Post 20 Aug 2021 In light of recent developments in the COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong, the Government has made sudden changes to quarantine requirements for residents flying into Hong Kong. On 19 August 2021, as The European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, we felt it is our obligation to express our opinions in an open letter to the Hong Kong Government. Click here to view the full letter. In response to our open letter, several media outlets have published articles covering the content of our letter. European business leaders in Hong Kong have urged authorities to relax strict quarantine requirements for travellers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 , warning a recent rules tightening presents a threat to the city’s status as an international business hub. The European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong’s push for a reopening to the outside world came just days after the government said it was elevating 15 countries to its “high-risk” category, meaning significantly tougher entry requirements and longer quarantine periods for anyone arriving from those destinations. View Source Previous Next

< Back Finance and Taxation Benefits in the GBA 15 September 2022 Online During this webinar we will share the latest tax situation and recent emerging trends in GBA and our speakers will explore the "one country, two systems, and three tax jurisdictions" hence the difference in taxation framework between China-Mainland, HKSAR, and MCSAR. We will also give time to discuss the Foreign Investment operations in GBA, a focus on financial institutions and the IIT subsidy. Moreover, we will see how Hong Kong’s simple and transparent tax regime can serve foreign firms and how it offers unique connectivity with mainland China for capital, regulation, standards, data, and more. After more than three years of releasing of Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Guangdong Provincial Local Financial Supervision Bureau and relevant departments have actively introduced detailed implementation measures to promote the continuous deepening of financial cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. New breakthroughs have been made in financial reform and innovation in the three Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao cooperation platforms of Hengqin, Qianhai and Nansha, and the three major financial infrastructure of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Guangzhou Futures Exchange have been improved. ​ Known as a financial hub, Hong Kong represents a gateway for international investors seeking to enter the Chinese market. Companies in Hong Kong have been at the centre of innovation in terms of fintech, and the growing green finance. With efforts made by institutions such as Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), People's Bank of China (PBoC) and the Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM), new schemes like the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Pilot Scheme (WMP) are being tested and implemented. ​ During this webinar co-organized by EU Chamber in China and EU Chamber in Hong Kong, we will share the latest tax situation and recent emerging trends in GBA and our speakers will explore the "one country, two systems, and three tax jurisdictions" hence the difference in taxation framework between China-Mainland, HKSAR, and MCSAR. We will also give time to discuss the Foreign Investment operations in GBA, a focus on financial institutions and the IIT subsidy. Moreover, we will see how Hong Kong’s simple and transparent tax regime can serve foreign firms and how it offers unique connectivity with mainland China for capital, regulation, standards, data, and more. Previous Next

< Back Sustainable finance ‘talent war’ erupts in Hong Kong amid rise in regulatory demands, green products SCMP 18 Sept 2021 On 16 September 2021 , EuroCham, along with the EU Office to Hong Kong and Macao, hosted The Green Way , a sustainability forum wherein government officials and industry experts engaged in a dialogue to pinpoint key areas of focus for the respective parties to focus on to drive their climate agenda forward. In response to the important conversations that were had at the event, several press staff were present at the event. A rising demand for corporate sustainability data disclosures, strategy formulation and green finance products issuances has led to the emergence of a “talent war” in Hong Kong as it vies to become a regional green finance centre , finance executives said. “It has already been very competitive in Hong Kong, where we have seen in the past few months [an escalating] talent war in the banking industry ,” Gaelle Olivier, the Asia-Pacific CEO of French bank Societe Generale (SG), told the EU-HK Green Way conference last week. View Source Previous Next

< Back 6 March 2018 EAC Position Paper 2018 The European Chamber of Commerce Automotive Council (EAC) released its 2018 position paper Representing the European passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturers in Hong Kong, the Council aims to bring forward proposals and be a partner to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. In this annual position paper, the EAC focused on the following topics: Sustainable Mobility Public Light Buses Utilisation of Heavy Vehicles Attracting Talent in Hong Kong Vehicle Registration Data Future Trends of the Automotive Industry With this position paper, the EAC would like to submit the following recommendations for the attention of the Government of Hong Kong. Sustainable mobility plays a key role in enhancing Hong Kong’s results in reducing air pollutant emissions and promoting environmentally friendlier vehicles. In this regard, the EAC suggests further measures should be taken. First, the promotion of plug-in hybrid vehicles by utilising relevant incentives, can significantly contribute to the transition to electro-mobility. Second, the upgrade of charging stations requires further incentives to enjoy the benefits of off-peak charging. Third, the Government’sgreen agenda should include steps to reduce total emissions of the heavy commercial vehicle fleet through an holistic approach including increased efficiency (see below), encouraging the use of alternative sustainable fuels and scrapping of older vehicles. Fourth, due to the increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs) in Hong Kong, there is an urgent need to improve the waste battery handling. Finally, the EAC strongly encourages the Hong Kong Government to review the parameters for the qualifying standards within its Environmentally Friendly Vehicle Scheme. Public light buses (PLB) represent a category of vehicles in Hong Kong where the EAC can positively contribute. In fact, by allowing exemptions (i.e. length restriction) for the latest European minibuses complying with the Euro VI standard, the Government could introduce safer and more environmentally friendly minibuses to the Hong Kong PLB market. The efficient utilization of heavy vehicles is an issue that requires the attention of the Government. Recent trends are for larger numbers of articles being transported with decreasing density and higher volumes. The EAC believes that allowing the circulation of larger trucks while reviewing the weight regulations for those trucks operating at their current legal weight limits will result in a reduction of trucks on the road, a reduction of fuel consumption per tonne.km, less traffic congestion and less air pollution. The current shortage of manual labour is a clear signal that attracting talent in Hong Kong is a primary need. While the Vocational Education Training (VET) Programsdemonstrate the Government’s awareness of this issue, the EAC nonetheless suggests to raise the status of these workers, as well as to increase the labour market competitiveness by looking at other national examples (e.g. Mainland China) and to adopt best practices from the European vocational education systems (e.g. Germany). The Hong Kong Transport Department has achieved significant improvements in terms of access to up-to-date vehicle registration data . However, to fully benefit from this service, the EAC suggests the monthly publication of a more processed dataset of vehicles registrations. Finally, the EAC would like to draw the attention of the Hong Kong Government to the future trends of the automotive industry . First, opening up data access for the automotive industry is a key step that will not only provide a roadmap to the stakeholders seeking improvement on the future of mobility, but it will offer the opportunity for Hong Kong to be a leader in the connected vehicles market. Second, granting access to data for Intelligent Transport System is necessary in order to achieve the possibility to introduce connected vehicles in Hong Kong; real-time traffic information and on-street smart parking meters should be at the top of the agenda. Third, an improved vehicle-to-infrastructure communication by using in-vehicle displays represents a safe and environmentally friendly solution to improve the current traffic situation as well as to reduce air pollution. Fourth, owners of public car parks must be willing to share their information on parking vacancy with the government. Fifth, in order to provide the legal framework relating to autonomous vehicle pilots in Hong Kong, a review of the Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) is of primary importance. To download the EAC position paper, click on the image below. For more information, please contact EuroCham’s General Manager, Núria Sau (nuria.sau@eurocham.com.hk ) Previous Next

< Back EU unveils new trade policy SCMP 1 Mar 2021 The European Union unveiled on 18 February what it called a new, more assertive foreign trade policy that signals greater cooperation with Washington and warns of unspecified measures it reserves the right to take against China to blunt “negative spillovers” from the approach Beijing takes to trade and investment. The EU announced its “open strategic autonomy” as a way to cope with challenges including climate change, “greater recourse to unilateralism”, and the economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. It also made reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and stronger partnerships in Asia and Latin America key priorities. Read the full article here . Previous Next

< Back EuroCham's Meeting with the Financial Secretary's Office 5 May 2021 Government Office ​ Once again, members representing EuroCham’s HK Board, Business Councils and Team met on Wednesday 5th May with the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan , Head of Budget and Tax Policy Unit, Ms Jessie Wong , and Press Secretary, Ms Belinda Wong . Participants engaged in a discussion on the 2021/22 HK Budget, and general matters concerning the business community in Hong Kong with a focus on wine & spirits , intellectual property rights , automotive , sustainability , sourcing & trading sectors. The smoothness of the COVID-19 vaccination programme implemented by the Government was appreciated by EuroCham, highlighting in parallel the need to put in place measures that motivate citizens to get vaccinated on the way to herd immunity. EuroCham also voiced out their concerns on the yet very strict quarantine measures, which are in turn affecting the overall Hong Kong economy. Representatives: European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong: Chairman, Frederik Gollob Vice-Chairman, Davide De Rosa Board Secretary, Jan William Möller Manager, Núria Sau Wine & Spirits Business Council: Chairman, James Paton Intellectual Property Rights Business Council: Chairman, Jessica Chan European Automotive Council: Chairman, Lothar Korn EuroCham Council for Sustainable Development: Chairman, Alexander Mastrovito European Sourcing and Trading Business Council Representative, Bhaskar Sambamurthy Previous Next

< Back Hong Kong to end mandatory quarantine for overseas arrivals with new ‘0+3’ scheme from September 26 SCMP 23 Sept 2022 Arrivals will not require a pre-flight PCR test but will be screened upon landing under a ‘test-and-go’ practice which will not require them to wait at the airport EuroCham welcomes the Hong Kong Goverment’s announcement on the end of hotel quarantine for arrivals from overseas. This is a long-awaited decision by the international community and the right step towards the full reopening of Hong Kong and the restore of city’s image as international hub. We appreciate the Government’s action and look forward to contributing to Hong Kong's future success. Read the full article here. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3193528/hong-kong-end-mandatory-quarantine-overseas Previous Next