Optimisation of EIA process to enhance efficiency and relevant transitional arrangements will end in mid-2025
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced today (November 11) that amendments to the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) and the Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process (Technical Memorandum) have been effective since their implementation on June 30, 2023. The related transitional arrangements will be terminated on June 30, 2025.
The spokesperson for the EPD said that the amendments have streamlined the entire environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, including simplifying the technical assessment requirements, facilitating direct application for environmental permits, establishing a Central Environmental Database (CED), and updating the list of designated projects. These optimisation measures have effectively enhanced the efficiency of EIAO operations. Since the implementation of the amendments, the time required for overall EIA projects has been reduced by half to approximately 15 to 24 months.
Effectiveness of optimisation measures
Under the optimised process, the EPD introduced the CED. Since its launch, the database has received positive feedback from stakeholders including government departments, consulting firms and academia. In the past year, about 80 EIA and planning projects have utilised the online tools of the database for research purposes. Moreover, there are around 2 000 public visitors per month browsing the environmental data on the database. The EPD will continue to update the CED and enhance it by extracting relevant ecological data from the approved EIA reports to help project proponents plan their projects and improve the standard of EIA studies.
For those designated projects with minor environmental impacts and proven mitigation measures, project proponents can directly apply for an environmental permit by submitting a project brief and effective mitigation measures with the facilitation arrangement.
For more complex and time-consuming projects, under the optimised EIA process, project proponents can utilise various innovative technical assessment measures in the CED, including using baseline air quality data and online noise assessment models, and conducting standardised ecological surveys in advance, which can shorten the overall EIA time by approximately 20 to 30 months.
Termination of transitional arrangements
For projects with EIA studies agreed before June 30, 2023, the EPD provided transitional arrangements, allowing the use of existing technical assessment methods. Given that the amendments have been in effect for over a year and the project proponents and the industry have generally adapted to the new requirements, the transitional arrangements will end by June 30, 2025.
The spokesperson said, "Project proponents adopting transitional arrangements must submit an application for approval of the EIA report to the Director of Environmental Protection on or before June 30, 2025. Applications submitted after this date must demonstrate that the technical assessment complies with the amended Technical Memorandum. Project proponents may also choose to apply for a fresh EIA study brief."
HKSARG responds to reauthorization of the so-called Sanctions Provisions under HKHRDA incorporated in National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (December 26) strongly disapproves of and firmly rejects US' reauthorization of the so-called Sanctions Provisions under the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act (HKHRDA) incorporated in National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.
A spokesman for the Government said, "In accordance with international law and international practice based on the Charter of the United Nations, it is each and every sovereign state's inherent right to enact laws safeguarding national security, and it is also an international practice. With at least 21 pieces of laws safeguarding national security, the US has exposed its double standards by pointing the finger at the HKSAR's legal system and enforcement mechanism to safeguard national security."
"The Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) also clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR. The offences endangering national security stipulated by the related Ordinance target acts endangering national security with precision, and define the elements and penalties of the offences with clarity, aiming at addressing, combating, deterring and preventing acts and activities of endangering national security. It targets only an extremely small minority of people without affecting the basic rights and freedoms lawfully enjoyed by Hong Kong residents."
He said, "The US openly clamour for so-called 'sanctions' with an aim to intimidate HKSAR officials who resolutely safeguard national security. The HKSAR Government strongly condemns its political grandstanding rife with ill intentions, which have been seen through by all. The HKSAR despises the so-called 'sanctions' and will not be intimidated by such a despicable behaviour. The HKSAR will resolutely continue to discharge the duty of safeguarding national security."
The HKSAR Government has been enforcing the sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) fully and vigorously to fulfil our international obligations. We have long been maintaining an effective mechanism for implementing the resolutions of the UNSC. That includes denying entry of vessels designated by the UNSC as well as suspicious vessels, keeping a close watch on and inspecting suspicious Hong Kong-based companies to prevent them from participating in activities evading UNSC sanctions. At the same time, the HKSAR Government has been implementing a comprehensive and robust control regime over the import and export of strategic commodities and maintaining active participation in the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Arms Trade Treaty through the Central People's Government. The effectiveness of our work has been well respected and recognised by our trading partners and internationally.
The US has substantial economic interest in Hong Kong. Over the past decade, it registered a trade surplus of about US$270 billion with Hong Kong. Currently, some 1 390 US companies operate in Hong Kong. If the US insists on its acts, it will ultimately undermine the mutually beneficial relations between Hong Kong and the US, harming the interests of the US and its companies.
The spokesman reiterated that foreign governments and legislatures should not interfere in any form in the internal affairs of the HKSAR.
