Lawyers, travel agents get Cepa boost

The latest round of Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) negotiations may prove a boon to lawyers and travel agents. New measures would give service companies in Hong Kong an advantage over foreign competitors, said Jia Qinglin, chairman of the People's Political Consultative Conference. The new measures take effect January and benefit firms in the legal, construction, information technology, convention and exhibition, audiovisual, distribution, tourism, air and road transport industries, as well as individual stores, the South China Morning Post reported. Industry associations welcomed the move, saying it would help expand trade links between Hong Kong and the mainland. Under the new Cepa rules, another 37 categories of products made in Hong Kong will also be allowed in the mainland tariff-free as of July 1.