The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has started consulting the industry on the proposed amendments to facilitate the electronic processing of B2B trade documents.

On December 29th, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government issued a consultation document on proposed amendments to the legislation for the electronicization of business-to-business (B2B) trade documents in Hong Kong, seeking feedback from the industry. As announced in the 2025-26 Financial Budget and the 2025 Policy Address, the Hong Kong government will refer to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law's Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (Model Law) to study and revise legislation to facilitate the electronicization of trade documents. After careful consideration, the relevant departments have proposed a framework for amending the Electronic Transactions Ordinance (Chapter 553) and related legislation in the consultation document to implement the provisions of the Model Law, including areas such as scope of application, reliability assessments, and operational requirements, seeking feedback from the industry. The proposed legislative amendments will provide legal basis for the use of electronic transferable records, which are electronic versions of transferable documents or instruments. In order to align with international standards and promote cross-border interoperability, relevant provisions of the Model Law will be incorporated into the Ordinance as much as possible. International trade involves the presentation or submission of various trade documents, including business-to-government (B2G) documents and B2B documents. Currently, the industry can already submit most B2G trade documents through the use of government electronic trading services and single trade windows, however certain B2B trade documents, due to legal requirements and industry practices, still rely on paper-based delivery. With rapid advancements in technology, the electronicization of these documents has become a new trend. A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Trade and Economic Development Bureau (HKTD) stated, "The government has been committed to maintaining a conducive business environment to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in international trade. The electronicization of B2B trade documents can reduce processing time and costs, while enhancing transparency and integrity, thereby promoting international trade. We hope that the legislative proposals will help the industry develop practical technological solutions that further strengthen Hong Kong's competitiveness as an international financial, shipping, and trading center."