Activities of the SME Service Centres

SME Service Centres' "4-in-1" Seminar Series

The Government consolidated the services of the four SME Centres in October 2019 to provide “4-in-1” integrated services.  Theme of the “4-in-1” seminar series in the second half of 2022 is “New Normal of Business after Pandemic”, continued being co-organised by the four SME Centres, with an aim to assist enterprises to grasp business opportunities under the new normal by introducing the topics including digital transformation, the latest development of technological solutions, business transformation and Government funding schemes, etc.  “SME One” of HKPC and “SME ReachOut” would organise a seminar and a webinar under this seminar series on 21 and 27 October 2022 respectively.  Interested persons are welcome to register at the link below.  Admission is Free.

I. InnoPreneur MeetUp: Belt and Road LIVE - Mapping Your Road for Business in Bangladesh (Seminar)

(The seminar will be held by “SME One” on 21 October 2022 at HKPC Building)

This seminar will cover the Bangladesh market, business incentives for foreign enterprises and experience sharing of Hong Kong enterprises and startups doing business in Bangladesh, with a view to assisting SMEs to get to know the Bangladesh market.  (The seminar will be conducted in Cantonese.)

Please click here for details and registration.

II. "Get FUND with ease" series - Form-filling Workshop: Expand Overseas Market with SME Export Marketing Fund (Webinar)

(The webinar will be held by "SME ReachOut" on 27 October 2022)

The SME Export Marketing Fund (EMF) aims to encourage SMEs to expand their markets outside Hong Kong by providing financial assistance to SMEs for participation in export promotion activities.  This webinar will focus on the application tactics of the EMF, with a view to assisting SMEs to grasp the post-pandemic opportunities in market expansion.  An enterprise representative will also share the experience of successfully applying for the EMF.   (The webinar will be conducted in Cantonese.)

Please click here for details and registration.

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Trade and Industry Department / SUCCESS-supported Activities

I. "CMA InnoDrive Hub Upgrade Series: Sharing on the Business Opportunities in the Metaverse" Webinar

(This webinar will be live-streamed on 20 October 2022)

This webinar is co-organised by The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong and the SME Branding Club under the Hong Kong Brand Development Council.  SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations.  This webinar will introduce the basic knowledge and business opportunities of the metaverse, as well as how the "CMA InnoDrive Hub" platform can help innovation and technology enterprises expand their commercial and trading networks in industrial sector.  (This seminar will be conducted in Cantonese.)

More Details (in Chinese only)

II. Green Environmental & Material Testing Service Seminar

(This seminar will be held at HKPC Building on 21 October 2022)

This seminar is organised by the HKPC.  SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations.  This seminar will introduce the latest regulations on green products and the relevant testing and consultancy services offered by the HKPC, along with the introduction of “Hong Kong Certification Scheme of Chinese Materia Medica".  Participants will be invited to join a guided tour of Green Hall.  (This seminar will be conducted in Cantonese.)

More Details (in Chinese only)

III. "Low-carbon Product Design and Smart Manufacturing CP3" Webinar

(This workshop will be live-streamed on 28 October 2022)

This webinar is organised by the HKPC and co-organised by the Productivity (Shenzhen) Consulting Company Limited.  SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations.  This webinar will introduce the concept of product carbon footprint, cleaner production technologies and practices for energy saving and emission reduction, as well as market demand for sustainable and low-carbon products, with a view to helping enterprises implement sustainable development.  (This seminar will be conducted in Cantonese and Putonghua.)

More Details (in Chinese only)

IV. "Blender 3D Modeling: From Maya and 3ds Max to Blender"

(This course will be held at HKPC Building on 16, 21, 23, 28 and 30 November 2022)

This course is offered by the HKPC.  SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations.  This course aims at helping 3D artists and designers to gain practical knowledge of Blender 3D Modeling and learn how to produce basic product designs, 3D models, and digital art projects by using the Blender 3.0 open-source software.  (Admission fee is required.  This course will be conducted in Cantonese.)

More Details
 

Busting Corruption "Myths" - Anti-Corruption Webinar for SMEs and Start-ups

(This webinar will be live-streamed on 24 October 2022)

The webinar is organised by the Hong Kong Business Ethics Development Centre of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).  Customary practices and common work habits in our daily business may entail corruption risks.  With a view to helping proprietors and management staff of SMEs and start-ups mitigate corruption risks at work, this webinar will explain some common corruption risks in business operation to bust such “myths”.  It will also introduce the anti-corruption law in Hong Kong, corruption prevention tips for SMEs and start-ups and the ICAC’s services.  (This webinar will be conducted in Cantonese.)

More Details
 

Intellectual Property Department: IP Training Programme "IP201 IP Audit and Due Diligence" and "IP101 IP Basics"

(IP201 will be live-streamed on 22 and 24 November 2022)
(IP101 will be conducted at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 1 and 2 December 2022)

These two intellectual property (IP) courses are now open for registration.

"IP201 IP Audit and Due Diligence" aims to enhance participants’ awareness of the importance of IP audit and due diligence, their implementation and benefits, and help enterprises manage intellectual assets more effectively and engage in IP trading.  This course will be conducted in Cantonese by an expert from the Law Society of Hong Kong.

"IP101 IP Basics" is an event of "Business of IP Asia Forum 2022".  Each successful course applicant will be entitled to a complimentary pass of the Forum.  The course is dedicated for beginners, introducing the basic knowledge of various IP, enabling participants to understand the rights of IP owners and users, thereby enhancing their capability of protecting and managing IP rights within the enterprise.  This course will be conducted in Cantonese (simultaneous interpretation service in English available).

Interested participants may first enroll in the "IP Manager Scheme PLUS" for free by filling out an online form.  Registration fee for the courses is waived for members of the Scheme.  Participants will receive a certificate upon completion of the respective training course.

More details for IP201
More details for IP101
 

Labour Department: Download GovHK Notifications Mobile Application and Receive Workplace Consultation Information

The Labour Department (LD) releases information related to the Employment Ordinance and good human resource management through the GovHK Notifications mobile application ("the App"), including amendments on the Employment Ordinance ("the EO"), enrolment for Seminar on the EO and messages on good human resource management, etc.  Users of the App who are interested in receiving related messages can select "Workplace Consultation Related Information" under "Category" on the menu of the App.  Corresponding notifications will be received by such users whenever LD delivers messages through the App.

More details
 

Government suitably relaxes social distancing measures with effect from 20 October

The Government announced on 18 October 2022 that the Chief Executive in Council has approved the amendments to the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) in order to raise the maximum number of persons allowed in group gatherings in public places from four to 12.  The amendments, which will be subject to the negative vetting by the Legislative Council, will come into effect on 20 October 2022.  This serves to align with the effective cycle (i.e. from 20 October to 2 November 2022) during which the social distancing measures will be suitably relaxed as earlier announced by the Government.

In all, measures to be suitably relaxed with effect from 20 October 2022 include:

(1) Live performance and dancing activity will be allowed in catering premises, bars/pubs, clubs/nightclubs, cinemas, museums, as well as meeting rooms/function rooms in club-houses and hotels or guesthouses, on the premise that relevant performers must conduct regular tests (i.e. two polymerase chain reaction-based nucleic acid (PCR) tests in every seven days, and a rapid antigen test (RAT) on the same day before entering the premises for performance or rehearsal), wear masks as far as practicable, and keep an adequate distance from the audience or patrons (or with effective partition).  Participants of dancing activity must wear masks while they are dancing;

(2) Eating and drinking are allowed in outdoor areas of theme parks;and

(3) The maximum number of persons allowed in group gatherings in public places will be relaxed to 12.

Other social distancing measures will remain unchanged.

For details and specific measures to be in force during the period from 20 October to 2 November 2022, please refer to relevant press release at https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202210/18/P2022101800596.htm.
 

Hong Kong Academy of Finance's 2023 intake of Financial Leaders Programme open for application

The Hong Kong Academy of Finance (AoF) announced that the 2023 intake of the Financial Leaders Programme (FLP) is open for application starting from 10 October 2022.  Commencing in 2022, the FLP aims to inspire financial talents, to equip them with a mindset to lead and look at issues from a macro perspective, as well as to expand their network.

The FLP offers a unique opportunity for participants to engage in dialogue with top leaders in financial services and other sectors. Each year, the FLP will admit around 20 promising financial talents from a diverse background at approximately two levels below the chief executive officer position.  The FLP will be offered on a part-time basis and last for about nine months, with the 2023 Programme commencing in April 2023.  Application is open between 10 October and 11 December 2022.  Applications received will be considered by the Membership Committee of the AoF.

The FLP is jointly supported by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the financial regulators in Hong Kong, namely the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission, the Insurance Authority and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority.

Further information about the FLP and the application form are available from the AoF website (https://www.aof.org.hk/flp).  For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202210/10/P2022101000332.htm.
 

Application period for Ex-gratia Payment Scheme for Phasing Out Euro IV Diesel Commercial Vehicles extended to 31 December 2023

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced on 6 October 2022 a special arrangement for the Ex-gratia Payment Scheme for Phasing Out Euro IV Diesel Commercial Vehicles.  For Euro IV diesel commercial vehicles (DCVs) first registered in 2007, the deadline for applying for an ex-gratia payment will be extended by one year to 31 December 2023.

The EPD reminds the vehicle owners concerned that approval of the ex-gratia payment is still subject to the applicant meeting all other prevailing eligibility criteria and completing all necessary procedures under the ex-gratia payment scheme, and submitting the application for the ex-gratia payment on or before 31 December 2023.  Moreover, in accordance with the Air Pollution Control (Air Pollutant Emission)(Controlled Vehicles) Regulation (Cap. 311X), the Government will stop issuing/renewing vehicle licences to Euro IV DCVs first registered in 2007 after 31 December 2022.  The vehicle owners concerned who need to apply for vehicle licence renewal after 31 December 2022 shall separately apply to the EPD for exemption under Section 6 of the Regulation for extending the retirement deadline.

For details of the ex-gratia payment scheme and the above special arrangement, please visit the EPD's website (https://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/prob_solutions/Phasing_out_euro_iv_comm_veh.html) or the relevant press release (https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202210/06/P2022100500376.htm).  For enquiries, please contact the EPD by calling 2651 1100 or by email to EU4dcv@epd.gov.hk.
 

Application period for Legal Talent Recruitment Scheme (Trainee Solicitors) 2022 extended to 28 February 2023

The Department of Justice (DoJ) announced on 6 October 2022 that the deadline for application for the Legal Talent Recruitment Scheme (Trainee Solicitors) 2022 (the Scheme), launched by the DoJ and the Law Society of Hong Kong (LawSoc) in April 2022, will be extended to 28 February 2023, to allow more time for eligible law firms to prepare their applications.

Funded by the Anti-epidemic Fund, the Scheme provides a monthly salary subsidy of $6,800 for a maximum of 12 months to each eligible law firm for one newly created job opening for a trainee solicitor, with up to 130 new job openings for trainee solicitors in total.  The Scheme will create more job opportunities for the legal sector, and ensure a steady and sufficient supply of legal talent.

The LawSoc is responsible for administering the Scheme, including processing and assessing the applications, as well as arranging disbursement of the subsidy.  The application form and the guidance notes are available at the LawSoc's website (https://www.hklawsoc.org.hk/en/News/Legal-Talent-Recruitment-Scheme).  For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202210/06/P2022100600169.htm.

Support Measures relating to Liquidity

Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund)

The TID has rolled out an enhancement to the BUD Fund on 27 June 2022.

To further support enterprises in making use of the better protection afforded by Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (IPPAs) to develop more diversified markets, the geographical scope of the BUD Fund has been extended with an addition of two economies with which Hong Kong has signed IPPAs, namely Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

The geographical scope of the BUD Fund has been extended, in three phases since July 2021, from 20 economies with which Hong Kong has signed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to cover 37 economies1 with which Hong Kong has signed FTAs and/or IPPAs.

The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) as the BUD Fund implementation partner regularly organises seminars/webinars in order to enhance enterprises’ understanding of the BUD Fund.  For more details of the BUD Fund, please visit its website (https://www.bud.hkpc.org/en) or contact the HKPC at 2788 6088. 

Upcoming event for October 2022 is as follows:

Date	Theme of Event/Seminar
20 October 2022	Seminar on the BUD Fund More Details (in Chinese only)

You are welcome to join the seminar.

1Besides the two newly added economies of Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, the other 35 economies covered under the BUD Fund are the Mainland, New Zealand, the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), Chile, Macao, the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (comprising Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), Georgia, Australia, Japan, Korea, Austria, Belgo-Luxembourg Economic Union, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.