SUCCESS
E-newsletter
18 March 2026
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The Support and Consultation Centre for SMEs (SUCCESS) run by the Trade and Industry Department (TID) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the HKSARG) provides small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with free business information and consultation services.
Our website: https://www.success.tid.gov.hk/en_landing.html
Our email: success@tid.gov.hk
Our customer hotline:（852）2398 5133
(Service hours of hotline and counters: Monday to Friday 8:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. & 1:30 p.m.-5:45 p.m., other than public holidays)
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"Four-in-One" Integrated Services of SME Centres
To strengthen support for SMEs and to raise SMEs' awareness of the various funding schemes and support services, the TID consolidated the services of the existing four SME centres, namely, the "SUCCESS" under the TID, the "SME Centre" under the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the "SME One" under the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and the "TecONE" under the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), in October 2019 to provide one-stop "Four-in-One" integrated services for SMEs. Enterprises can obtain business information, funding schemes information and advisory services, etc. at any of the centres. In addition, a web portal called "SME Link" is also established for SMEs to access information and support services provided by the four SME centres and government departments from a single online platform.
The Government provides over 70 funding schemes with different funding scopes, amounts and requirements to promote and support the development of enterprises and industries in Hong Kong. The "Government Funding Schemes" web page of the SME Link features information on these 70+ funding schemes, including overview and useful hyperlinks. The web page's search tool supports multiple search filters to facilitate enterprises identifying suitable funding schemes.
The "Events & Activities" of the SME Link facilitates enterprises to obtain information on activities organised by the four SME centres and various government departments, including seminars, workshops, exhibitions, conferences, training courses, etc., from a single platform, and also provides relevant links to facilitate registration.
As global awareness of decarbonisation grows and consumers' understanding of green and low-carbon lifestyle continues to enhance, whereas related international laws and regulations are constantly updated, SMEs need to grasp the latest information so as to capture the business opportunities and cope with related challenges. The "Decarbonisation ‧ Business Action", a one-stop thematic webpage, features links to information and services about decarbonisation and carbon audit, etc., including requirements and regulations of Hong Kong and our trading partners, support measures and technological solutions, to help SMEs better prepare and position their businesses in the dynamics of international trade networks and supply chains and capture the business opportunities arising from low-carbon solutions and new markets emerging around the world.
What's New
2025-26 Hong Kong Awards for Industries (HKAI): Invitation for Entries
The 2025-26 HKAI, supported by the HKSARG, is now open for entries. Hong Kong companies in the manufacturing and services sectors are invited to join. The closing date for entries is 5 June 2026.
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“Four-in-One” Seminar Series
The four SME centres co-organise "Four-in-One" seminar series regularly. Themes of this seminar series in the first half of 2026 are "Exploration of New Markets", "E-Commerce" and "Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)". Upcoming events under this series are listed below. Interested persons are welcome to register at the links shown therein. Admission is Free.
I. T-box Workshop: “Boosting SME Competitiveness: Master Simple Steps for Sustainable Development” (Webinar)
(This webinar will be live-streamed on 20 March 2026)
This webinar is held by the "SME Centre" of the HKTDC to provide practical guidance for SMEs engaged in trade and manufacturing on how to start small and achieve visible sustainability results through simple and effective steps. A representative from the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency will share insights in five core practice areas: energy management, waste reduction, supply chain optimisation, employee engagement, and data recording, along with a 90-day action plan framework and real success stories. (This webinar will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration (Chinese version only)
II. How Intellectual Property Drives ESG Value and Financing Opportunities for Enterprises (Seminar)
(This seminar will be held at Trade and Industry Tower on 25 March 2026)
This seminar is held by the "SUCCESS" of the TID. In this seminar, an intellectual property (IP) expert will analyse the crucial role of IP in ESG. The expert will share insights on the concept of green IP and its impacts on sustainable development. He will explain how IP drives green technology innovation, technology transfer and licensing, as well as its applications in relevant reporting and risk management. Furthermore, the expert will discuss industry case studies to illustrate IP financing (such as green bonds), with a view to assisting SMEs in exploring new opportunities related to ESG from an IP perspective. (This seminar will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration
III. "SME ReachOut" Form-Filling Bootcamp - Leverage Funding for Market Expansion: Bootcamp#2 BUD Fund
(This Bootcamp will be held at HKPC Building on 25 March 2026)
This series of bootcamps is held by the "SME ReachOut" of the HKPC. The bootcamps share tips on applying for the SME Export Marketing Fund (EMF) and the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund), address common errors in filling out application forms and provide step-by-step support in form-filling. SMEs who have successfully secured funding will share their success stories. Bootcamp#1 SME Export Marketing Fund (EMF) was held on 13 January 2026. (This series will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration
IV. Transform Your F&B Future II: Tastefully SMART - Riding the Consumer Wave with ESG & AI (Event)
(This event will be held at Midtown Soundwill Plaza II on 26 March 2026)
This series is held by the "SME One" of the HKPC. This event will share new trends in the food and beverage (F&B) businesses of integrating new elements like "low carbon", "corporate social responsibility (CSR)", and "AI" to attract consumers and create new business opportunities. (This event will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration
V. SME E-commerce and New Market Development Academy Series (3): Fostering Long-term Business Growth by Connecting with Consumer Groups with High Potential (Seminar)
(This seminar will be held at Trade and Industry Tower on 30 March 2026)
This seminar is held by the "SUCCESS" of the TID. This seminar will focus on how to effectively connect the unique value of businesses with market demand. An expert will utilise practical tools and templates with interactive discussions to help SMEs achieve precision marketing for their products and services, thereby enhancing their market competitiveness. (This seminar will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration
TID/SUCCESS-supported Activities
I. Seminar on "How IP can Create Opportunities for Hong Kong Brands"
(This seminar will be held at the CMA Building on 20 March 2026)
This seminar is organised by the Hong Kong Brand Development Council (BDC). SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations. The SME Branding Club is organised by the BDC, as an attempt to foster brand-building culture among local SMEs and to build up an interactive platform for knowledge transfer, experience sharing and networking among companies aspiring for brand development. The Club stages activities pertinent to SME branding on a regular basis. This seminar, the Club’s first activity in 2026, will explore the potentials and development trends of IP of Hong Kong brands and share relevant successful cases. (This seminar will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration (Chinese only)
II. The Irreplaceability of You in the AI era: From Identity Threat to Identity Integration (Online Course)
(This course will be live-streamed on 24 March 2026)
This course is offered by the HKPC. SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations. This online course will explore identity-centric strategies to turn artificial intelligence (AI) from a rival into a catalyst for professional growth, and provide practical strategies and techniques to encourage employees to leverage AI in their work. (This course will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration
III. Seminar on “CRS、CARF and AEOI: What It Means For Your Tax Transparency and Potential Tax Audit Risks”
(This seminar will be held at the CMA Building on 25 March 2026)
This seminar is organised by The Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong. SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations. In this seminar, tax experts will analyse global tax transparency, explain the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) and the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (AEOI), and share strategic advice for mitigating tax risks. (This seminar will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration (Chinese only)
IV. Applications for the 2026 "Best SME’s Award", "Best SME’s Partner Award", “ESG Leading Enterprise Award” and "Bright Future SME’s Youth InnoTech Entrepreneurship Award" are now open
(Deadline: 28 March 2026)
To promote the sustainable development of Hong Kong's SMEs, The Hong Kong General Chamber of Small and Medium Business has established the Best SME’s Award to publicly recognize the relentless pursuit of excellence and self-improvement among SMEs. Besides, the Chamber has introduced the Best SME’s Partner Award to commend partner organizations that provide great support to SMEs, encouraging them to continue fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities and guiding SMEs to make progress. Additionally, ESG Leading Enterprise Award is founded to recognize winning enterprises of the Best SME Partner Award that actively practice ESG principles, encouraging partner enterprises to take the lead in promoting sustainable development.
Furthermore, to inspire local youth to boldly pursue entrepreneurship, the Chamber has also launched the Bright Future SME’s Youth InnoTech Entrepreneurship Award, which honors young individuals with entrepreneurial spirit and unique, innovative business concepts. A Grand Award will be awarded to one outstanding recipient, who will receive an additional HK$20,000 as an incentive.
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HKIRC and PCPD Co-organise “AI Security and Cybersecurity Summit for Enterprises” — Registration Now Open
The Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited (HKIRC) and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) will co-organise the “AI Security and Cybersecurity Summit for Enterprises” (Summit) on 31 March 2026. Registration is now open to all sectors!
With the Digital Policy Office acting as a strategic partner, the Summit will feature two key thematic areas – “AI Security” and “Cybersecurity”, each presenting dedicated keynote presentations and panel discussions. The event will bring together leading experts, industry leaders, policymakers and company directors to explore the evolving AI security and cybersecurity threat landscape, exchange innovative solutions, and share insights into strengthening cybersecurity and data protection in the age of AI.
The Summit is free of charge and open for registration on a first-come first-served basis. For details, please visit the event website https://pcpd.org.hk/ai_cybersecurity_summit/en/index.html. Interested parties are requested to complete and submit the online registration form on the Summit website by 5:00 pm on 27 March 2026 (Friday).
More Details and Registration
TV Programme for Promoting the Constitution – “Appreciating the Constitution”
(Programme Revisit)
The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau of the HKSARG, together with Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), launched a TV programme “Appreciating the Constitution” in December 2025. The programme, comprising 8 episodes, discusses how the Constitution is closely related to our daily lives from different perspectives.
The 8th episode, themed “Economic Development: The Constitution and a Prosperous Future”, explores how private enterprises, under the protection of the Constitution, can fulfill their social responsibilities, contribute to our country, and demonstrate the power of integrated economic development in a capitalist market environment.
The Industrial, Commercial and Professional Sectors Sub-group of the Working Group on Constitution, Basic Law and Hong Kong National Security Law under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee encourages practitioners from the industrial, commercial and professional sectors to revisit the programme so as to deepen the understanding on the Constitution.
Please click here to watch the programme.
Meeting the “BRANDers” – Miss Helen Wong, Digital Brand Strategist of Hong Kong Sunshine Laundry Group, a local laundry brand
To encourage and assist Hong Kong enterprises in developing their own brands and promoting their brands in the Chinese Mainland and overseas markets, the TID conducts interviews with representatives of local brands and experts so as to share their success stories and business strategies with the industries. The TID has earlier on interviewed Miss Helen Wong, Digital Brand Strategist of Hong Kong Sunshine Laundry Group, who has shared the growth trajectory of the company over the past three decades and the key success factors in brand development.
More details (in Chinese only)
Fee revisions under Customs and Excise Department to take effect on 15 May 2026
The Government gazetted on 13 March 2026 the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 3) Notice 2026 to revise 12 fees under the licensing regime for Money Service Operators. The new fees will take effect on 15 May 2026.
Hong Kong Customs will continue to enhance efficiency and streamline procedures to contain the costs of providing the services. For enquiries, please contact the Money Service Supervision Bureau of Hong Kong Customs at 3742 7742 or email to msoenquiry@customs.gov.hk.
For details of the new fees, please visit relevant press release https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202603/13/P2026031200616.htm.
Toys and Children's Products Safety Ordinance (Amendment of Schedules 1 and 2) Notice 2026 gazetted
The four classes of Schedule 2 products are (i) children's high chairs and multipurpose high chairs for domestic use, (ii) children's paints, (iii) playpens for domestic use, and (iv) wheeled child conveyances. The Notice will take effect on 1 August 2026.
The Ordinance stipulates that a person must not manufacture, import or supply a toy or a Schedule 2 product unless it complies with all the applicable requirements contained in any one of the safety standards (international standards or standards adopted by major economies) specified in Schedule 1 (applicable to toys) or Schedule 2 (applicable to Schedule 2 products). The Government keeps in view any updates or amendments to the safety standards to apply up-to-date and operative versions of the standards to toys and Schedule 2 products supplied in Hong Kong. The last updates to Schedules 1 and 2 came into operation in August 2025.
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202603/13/P2026031300254.htm.
Food Business (Amendment) Regulation 2026 gazetted
The Government published in the Gazette on 13 March 2026 the Food Business (Amendment) Regulation 2026 (the Regulation), which will be tabled at the Legislative Council (LegCo) on 18 March 2026 for vetting.
The Government proposes to amend the Food Business Regulation (Cap 132X) to empower the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene to grant permission for dogs to enter and stay on food premises, subject to the compliance with certain statutory requirements.
A Government spokesperson said, "The new initiative will create new business opportunities for the catering industry and promote harmony between people and pets. It has responded to the aspirations of many members of the public. At the same time, both the public and restaurant operators will have choices. Restaurant operators will need to take the initiative to apply for permission; and approved restaurants will be required to display designated signage at a conspicuous place at the entrance to help members of the public decide whether to patronise such restaurants.
"The new initiative, with safety and environmental hygiene accorded priority, will be taken forward in small steps in a prudent manner. It is proposed that a quota of about 500 to 1 000 places be set for the first phase. The Government will closely monitor the implementation of the initiative and refine the implementation details for the next phase as necessary."
Subject to the Regulation being passed by the LegCo, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will announce in due course the detailed application arrangements for restaurants. The first batch of permission is expected to be granted by mid-2026.
EPD to implement new qualifying standards for environment-friendly commercial vehicles from April 2026
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced on 9 March 2026 the amended qualifying standards (QS) for the first registration tax concessions for heavy and light duty environment-friendly commercial vehicles (EFCVs), which will take effect from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, inclusive.
Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions, Concessionary Deductions and Allowances) Bill 2026 gazetted
The Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions, Concessionary Deductions and Allowances) Bill 2026 was gazetted on 6 March 2026 to implement the concessionary tax measures proposed in the 2025 Policy Address and the 2026-27 Budget.
The Bill will implement the one-off reduction of salaries tax, tax under personal assessment and profits tax for the year of assessment 2025/26 by 100 per cent, subject to a ceiling of $3,000 per case, as proposed in the 2026-27 Budget. The reduction will be reflected in taxpayers' final tax payable for the year of assessment 2025/26.
The Bill will be introduced into the LegCo for first reading and the commencement of the second reading debate on 18 March 2026.
For measures proposed for adjustments to salaries tax and tax under personal assessment with effect from the year of assessment 2026/27, please refer to the Bill and relevant press release https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202603/04/P2026030400408.htm.
Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 2026 gazetted
The Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 2026 was gazetted on 6 March 2026 to implement the proposal of increasing the stamp duty rate for residential property transactions with an amount or value of consideration (whichever is the higher) above $100 million from 4.25 per cent to 6.5 per cent as announced in the 2026-27 Budget.
A Government spokesperson said, "The proposal upholds the 'affordable users pay' principle and will increase government revenue by about $1 billion annually. It is expected to affect only 0.3 per cent of residential property transactions."
The Bill will be introduced into the LegCo for first reading and the commencement of the second reading debate on 18 March 2026. Subject to passage by the LegCo, it will take effect retrospectively from 26 February 2026.
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202603/04/P2026030400399.htm.
Rating (Exemption) Order 2026 gazetted
The Rating (Exemption) Order 2026 was gazetted on 6 March 2026 to implement the one-off rates concessions proposed in the 2026-27 Budget to relieve the financial burden on the people and enterprises.
The Budget proposes to waive rates for the first and second quarters of 2026-27, subject to a concession cap of $500 per quarter for each domestic and non-domestic tenement. The proposal will benefit about 3.59 million properties, reducing government revenue by about $3.5 billion.
The Order will be tabled at the LegCo for negative vetting on 18 March 2026.
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202603/04/P2026030400387.htm.
CEDD and AFCD jointly launch Hong Kong Nature-based Solutions Design Guidelines
The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) jointly launched the Hong Kong Nature-based Solutions Design Guidelines (HKNbSDG) on 3 March 2026. The HKNbSDG aims to provide practical planning and design guidelines for infrastructure and development projects. It promotes the application of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to address societal challenges through actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore ecosystems, striking a balance between development and nature conservation while enhancing Hong Kong's climate resilience and driving sustainable development.
With reference to the global standards of the International Union for Conservation of Nature as well as relevant overseas, Mainland and local guidelines, the HKNbSDG proposes three core principles: (1) promoting ecosystem diversity at multiple scales; (2) embracing human-nature coexistence for mutual benefits; and (3) improving resilience through NbS. Factoring in the characteristics of Hong Kong's natural ecology and urban development, it provides clear guidance and local case studies to enable engineering teams to seamlessly integrate NbS into their workflows.
The HKNbSDG has been uploaded to the websites of the CEDD (www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/publications/miscellaneous/nm-santintech/index.html) and the AFCD (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/conservation/Con_hkbsap/bsap_resources_references/bsap_resources_references.html).
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202603/03/P2026030300578.htm.
For more recent news, please visit the "What's New" web page of the SUCCESS Website or the "News" web page of the SME Link.
Topical Issues
Support Measures relating to Liquidity
In view of the cash-flow pressure of SMEs, SUCCESS has compiled a summary of support measures relating to liquidity.
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SME ReachOut
“SME ReachOut”, a dedicated service team operated by HKPC, has commenced operation since 1 January 2020 to enhance SMEs’ understanding of the Government’s funding schemes, with a view to encouraging better utilisation of the support provided by the Government. The team would help SMEs identify funding schemes that suit their needs, and answer questions relating to applications.
The Government has allocated $100 million to HKPC to gradually enhance the services of “SME ReachOut” in the ensuing five years starting from 2023. HKPC has enhanced the services of “SME ReachOut” in October 2023, including arranging visits to more chambers of commerce, commercial and industrial buildings and co-working spaces, and increasing the publicity in social media so as to step up the promotion of government funding schemes. At the same time, more one-on-one consultation sessions will be provided to assist SMEs in applying for government funding and building their capacities, focusing on areas such as ESG, technology transformation, digitalisation and cyber security, with a view to enhancing their competitiveness through leveraging new technologies.
For further information or enquiries on “SME ReachOut”, please contact “SME ReachOut” Hotline / WhatsApp (Text Message Only) at 2788 6868 or email by sme_reachout@hkpc.org or visit https://smereachout.hkpc.org/en.
Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund)
To support enterprises to develop the markets of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through electronic commerce (e-commerce) business, the geographical coverage of “E-commerce Easy” was expanded to the 10 ASEAN countries in March 2025.
The HKPC as the BUD Fund implementation partner regularly organises seminars/webinars in order to enhance enterprises’ understanding of the BUD Fund, including “Easy BUD” and “E-commerce Easy”. For more details of the BUD Fund, please visit its website (www.bud.hkpc.org/en) or contact the HKPC at 2788 6088.
【Deception Is Illegal Apply for Funding Truthfully】
We have recently referred suspected fraud cases under the SME Export Marketing Fund (EMF) to the Police and arrests have been made.
The TID reviews all applications to ensure strict compliance with the Guide to Application and the relevant procedures in order to ensure proper use of public money. Any suspected provision of false information will be followed up on accordingly. It is the responsibility of an applicant enterprise to complete an Application Form timely and truthfully and to provide all genuine supporting documents. The TID will take administrative measures as deemed appropriate on party(ies) to an application for any malpractice unearthed in the application process. Serious cases will be referred to the law enforcement agencies for further action.
It is an offence in law to obtain property/pecuniary advantage by deception or assisting persons to obtain property/pecuniary advantage. Any person who does so may be liable to legal proceedings. Applicant enterprises are urged not to violate the law.
Enquiry
Tel: 2398 5127
Email: emf_enquiry@tid.gov.hk
Website: https://emf.tid.gov.hk
Business News
GDETO Newsletter
The latest issue of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong (GDETO) Newsletter has been published.
More Details (in Chinese only)
Commercial Information Circulars (CICs) of the Mainland
The TID issued a number of Commercial Information Circulars (CICs) on the Mainland's trade and economic rules and regulations. The latest CICs have been published.
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Overseas Market Regulations
The HKTDC gives guides and resources, as well as regulatory alert, on trade regulations of overseas markets, such as “QATAR: Ongoing Hostilities See Use of Land Route to Saudi Arabia Prioritised” (13 March 2026).
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