The Import and Export (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 was gazetted and effective on 30 June. The Ordinance provides an exemption for the specified intermodal transhipment of Alternative Smoking Products (ASPs). A new control regime, namely the Alternative Smoking Product Transhipment Control Scheme (ATCS), has been put in place to administer, supervise, and implement the exemption arrangments so as to prevent the leakage of ASPs into the local markets during the transhipment processes. Details of the ATCS and the security and procedural requirements for registered operators are outlined on the Customs website.
To enhance the logistics inductry's understanding of the ATCS, the Department held a briefing session on 5 July at the Hong Kong Science Museum.
■Customs officers examine the first batch of alternative smoking products arrives in Hong Kong through sea-to-air transhipment under the ATCS.
■ATCS Website: https://www.customs.gov.hk/en/service-enforcement-information/trade-facilitation/ASP/ATCS/index.html
