Market News | Hong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair

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EU Report Finds Mainland China and Hong Kong as Main Sources of Counterfeit Goods
Nov 2024

The European Commission (“Commission”) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (“EUIPO”) recently published a joint Annual Report on the enforcement of intellectual property (“IP”) rights. The Annual Report found that Mainland China and Hong Kong were the main sources of counterfeit goods imported into the EU. An increase in counterfeit packaging material, labels, tags and stickers raised particular concerns due to their “negative mulitplier effect”. Hong Kong traders should be interested in the Annual Report as it is likely that it will influence EU customs enforcement going forwards as well as ongoing negotiations on EU Customs reform.

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Asian Authors Show They Have the Write Stuff at 34th Hong Kong Book Fair
Sep 2024

Writers from across Asia interacted with one million fans from throughout Hong Kong (and beyond) at the HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair.

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Book Smart: Intelligent Innovation Marks New Chapter at HK Literary Show
Sep 2024

A digital-do-over saw readers of every age encouraged to pore over every page at the 2024 edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair.

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Georgia Regulates Food Contact Regenerated Cellulose Films
Aug 2024

Georgia has issued a technical regulation on regenerated cellulose film materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. The technical regulation will become effective on January 1, 2026.

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Member States Adopt EU Law Banning BPA in Food Contact Materials
Jul 2024

The European Commission announced last month that the EU Council, representative of the Member States, has officially approved a proposed ban on bisphenol-A (BPA) in food contact materials, set to take effect in 2026. Some transition periods will extend towards the end of the decade. The Commission noted that "limited exceptions where there are no available safe alternatives and transition periods will apply," provided they do not pose a risk to consumers.

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Tariff Classification Change Finalised for Non-Slip Pads
Jun 2024

CBP has reclassified certain non-slip pads as other articles of plastic under HTSUS 3926.90.99 (5.3 percent duty) rather than as other plastic sheets under HTSUS 3921.12.11 (4.2 percent duty), 3921.12.15 (6.5 percent duty) and 3921.12.19 (5.3 percent duty).

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New Regulation Adopted to Reduce Packaging Waste and Make Packaging More Sustainable
May 2024

The European Parliament voted in plenary in the last week of April 2024 to adopt new measures which will make packaging more sustainable. The measures are also aimed at reducing packaging waste in the EU. The approved text, which is in the form of an EU Regulation that will have to be directly applied accross all Member States in a harmonised fashion, aims to tackle constantly growing waste and boost the circular economy. Hong Kong sellers of all types of goods using packaging should be aware that the measures cover the full lifecycle of packaging.

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Court Classifies Certain Notebooks as Diaries Subject to Section 301 Tariffs
Apr 2024

The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled on 10 April that certain notebooks containing calendars are properly classified as diaries under HTSUS 4820.10.2010, which is a duty-free provision but faces Section 301 tariffs.

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New Packaging Rules Agreed by EU Lawmakers
Mar 2024

On 4 March 2025, the European Parliament and Council of the EU agreed on measures that will cover the full lifecycle of packaging, with a view to reducing packaging and packaging waste within the EU. Hong Kong sellers of all types of goods placed in packaging will also see restrictions imposed on certain packaging formats, pursuant to the agreed legal text. A ban on PFAS (“forever chemicals”) is also foreseen in food contact packaging.

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PFAS in Grease-Proofing Agents for Food Packaging Phased Out from U.S. Market
Mar 2024

As part of a continuous effort to gradually phase out the use of hazardous chemicals in the U.S. market, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that grease-proofing agents containing PFAS are no longer being sold by manufacturers for food contact use in the U.S. market.

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