Hong Kong regularly ranks alongside Singapore among the cities in the region with the quality licensing services and the most business friendly environments in the world.

Major and high profile business sectors, like banks and telecommunications firms - well supported by their own trade associations - have long considered removing business obstacles and pursuing changes as being part of their industry's DNA. There are well established channels and platforms for them to express their business concerns directly with the Government.

For decades, however, there have been lesser told stories of red tape woes in various licensing regimes involving many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in different industries that employ a sizable labour force and form the backbone of Hong Kong’s lower profile sectors such as entertainment, food and hospitality.

The ten Business Liaison Groups (BLGs) setup by the Economic Analysis and Business Facilitation Unit (EABFU) since 2006 provide the perfect platform for SMEs operating in these sectors. Many enterprises have accumulated wish lists to improve the business environment and they need a place to air their concerns and strengthen communications with the Government on regulatory and licensing matters.

To help address the problems faced by these small but important sectors, the Government also created the Task Force on Business Liaison Groups (BLGTF,http://www.gov.hk/en/theme/bf/advisory/taskforces/BLG.htm) in 2012 to oversee the work progress of the ten BLGs, and to review major issues arising from the work of BLGs. Such initiatives ensure that Hong Kong’s business environment remains as friendly as possible, not only for the big companies, but also for a much wider spectrum of industries - including eateries, bars, karaokes, cinemas, family amusement centres, hotels and many others.

A more recent example is the government’s provision of a fast-track application process for places that provide amusement activities to hold events/activities not specified in the licence. This is something that presents new business opportunities for places like public ice-skating rinks.

Skating along hand in hand for wedding vows, spicing up the New Year count down with a drink, or simply relaxing at the coolest catwalk show - are now made much easier. Following the outcome of a fruitful discussion at the BLG platform, the approval process for all these creative events on the ice has been largely shortened from thirty to twenty days - provided of course that the business operators meet all required conditions and criteria.

This initiative has unleashed tremendous business potential for the ice-skating sector, allowing more efficient use of their space, a very precious resource in Hong Kong. Other businesses such as billiard establishments and public bowling-alleys also gain from this fast-track application process.

Operators of ice skating rinks, as well as billiard establishments and public bowling-alleys, can also enjoy other business facilitation initiatives that offer more flexibility.

For instance, the extension of business hours after 2:00 am until 8:00 am for a period of up to 12 months can now be applied through a standard application form. 

Billiard establishment operators further applaud another business facilitation measure that opens up additional opportunities and boosts the long term development of sports.

Students wearing school uniforms are banned from entering billiards establishments; and youngsters under the age of 16 are not allowed to enter billiard establishments between the hours of 8 pm and 10 am. Under this initiative, students can use billiards facilities during physical education classes; and youngsters can enter billiard establishments for practice or competitions at night, provided that relevant prior approval is obtained. This will further allow the grooming of local billiard talents, paving their way to join world-class players such as Marco Fu Ka-chun to trot successfully in the global sports arena for the years to come.

Likewise, bar operators also managed to find a way to let dart-throwing,a traditional and popular pub game, go “electronic” through the BLG platform. 

Electronic darting machines (EDMs) in bars, entertainment clubs and billiard establishments have become more popular in recent years. The operation of these EDMs is caught by the Amusement Game Centres (AGCs) Ordinance. However, these businesses are most often clustered together in a certain building/area making it difficult for them to apply for the AGC licence.

After a series of constructive dialogues, the Government has suspended enforcement actions against the mere playing of EDMs for entertainment in licensed premises where AGC is not the major business and where the said machines are not installed in one separate room on the premises. 

High ranking of the World Bank’s Annual Doing Business Report should never be taken for granted. 

Businesses in Hong Kong- large or small- are facing increasingly tough challenges. As Mr Patrick Wong, Convenor of BLGTF sees it, “There is never too trivial a business issue.” 

Measures to facilitate business can make compliance easier and improve the favourability of the overall environment, ensuring the sustained success of Hong Kong.

“We are here to serve a facilitating role for Hong Kong’s highly sophisticated economy – helping businesses to comply with the government regulations, with reduced compliance burden and costs,” added Mr Wong. 

The government’s continuous efforts in business facilitation will be crucial if Hong Kong is to deflect concerns over the potential erosion of the territory’s economic competitiveness, and if it is to retain its coveted position as one of the world’s most business-friendly destinations. 

[Source: Task Force on Business Liaison Groups under Business Facilitation Advisory Committee (BFAC) (http://www.gov.hk/en/theme/bf/advisory/taskforces/BLG.htm ) ]

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