Hong Kong Market Access : Product Categories

Note: Supply means 1) to sell or hire out; 2) to offer, keep, or exhibit for sale or for hiring out; 3) to exchange or dispose of for any consideration; 4) to transmit, convey or deliver in pursuance of - i) a sale, ii) a hiring out, or iii) an exchange or disposal for any condiseration; or 5) for commercial purposes, to give an electrical product as a prize or to make a gift of such a product.

Two major types of products: Prescribed Products and Non-Prescribed Products.

Prescribed Products include: plugs, adaptors, extension units, lampholders, flexible cords, unvented thermal storage type electric water heaters (updated 2001-09-25).

Non-Prescribed Products: all other electrical products. Non-prescribed products must comply with the Hong Kong Essential Requirements, which are presumed to be fulfilled if the product complies with relevant IEC standards. A Certificate of Conformity, as described below, or a Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is required to show compliance. Prescribed products must comply with the Hong Kong essential requirements as well as with the particular requirements.

For a Prescribed Product, the following will be accepted as a certificate of safety compliance:

1) A declaration of conformity issued by a 'recognized manufacturer';

2) A certificate or test report issued by a 'recognized certification body' (RCB) under registration of EMSD in one of the following: CB test certificates issued by National Certification Bodies participating in the CB Scheme; Endorsed certificates or test reports issued by organizations accredited by the Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS) or by the Hong Kong Accreditaion Service (HKAS); Endorsed certificates or test reports issued by organizations that have been accredited by those bodies which have mutual recognition agreements with HOKLAS or HKAS.

For a Non-Prescribed Product, in addition to the two types of documents stated above, a declaration of conformity (DOC) issued by the product manufacturer will also be accepted as a certificate of safety compliance.

Exceptions:

a) under transhipment or in transit though Hong Kong;

b) manufactured in Hong Kong for export;

c) supplied for reconditioning;

d) supplied as scrap;

e) travel adaptors; or

f) supplied in a place other than Hong Kong under a sale agreement entered into in Hong Kong.

For EMC the manufacturer/buyer shall keep the test reports. The files will be requested by authorities (OFTA) only in case of complaints or if they find that the product causes interference with other products.