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The SME Export Marketing Fund (EMF) aims to encourage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to expand their markets outside Hong Kong by providing financial assistance to SMEs for participation in export promotion activities.
Effective from 30 April 2021 until 30 June 2026, the funding scope of EMF is expanded to cover large-scale exhibitions staged by organisers with good track record targeting the local market, as well as online exhibitions organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and reputable exhibition organisers with good track record; and the eligibility criteria is relaxed to cover non-SMEs. |
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Grant Summary
Grant Eligibility |
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An enterprise applying for funding support under EMF must fulfill the following requirements:
- It must be a non-listed enterprise registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310).
- It must have substantive business operations in Hong Kong at the time of making the application. An enterprise holding a shell business registration or having its main business operation outside Hong Kong will not be regarded as having substantive business operations in Hong Kong.
- If it has previously received funding support under EMF, the cumulative amount of funding received must not exceed the prevailing cumulative funding ceiling. Applicant enterprises which have similar business registration details (e.g. nature of business, address, contact numbers, shareholder/directorship) will be treated as connected enterprises. For the purpose of calculating the cumulative funding ceiling, connected enterprises are treated as if they are one enterprise, i.e. the cumulative amount of funding received by the connected enterprises concerned are aggregated and must not exceed the cumulative funding ceiling.
- It must not be the organiser/co-organiser/service provider or a related company of the organiser/co-organiser/service provider of the promotion activity and the related services covered by the application.
Supportable Costs |
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EMF provides funding support to enterprises for their participation in the following promotion activities to promote their own products and/or services. Such promotion activities/platforms must be organised/operated by organisations with good track record:
- Trade exhibitions held outside Hong Kong targeting markets outside Hong Kong.
- Trade exhibitions held in Hong Kong targeting markets outside Hong Kong.
- Trade exhibitions held in Hong Kong targeting the local market.
- Online trade exhibitions.
- Business missions outside Hong Kong.
- Online business missions.
- Advertisements on trade publications which mainly target markets outside Hong Kong.
- Export promotion activities (such as placing advertisements, keyword search, listing product information, setting up or enhancing online shop, etc.) which are conducted through electronic platforms/media and which mainly target markets outside Hong Kong.
- Setting up or enhancement of a corporate website/mobile application owned by the applicant enterprise for export promotion, which mainly targets markets outside Hong Kong .
Support Level |
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Funding Ceiling per Application
Each application should cover expenditure related to one promotion activity. The maximum amount of funding support for each successful application is 50% of the total approved expenditure incurred by the applicant enterprise or HK$100,000, whichever is the less. The amount of funding support for video/product shooting and editing services for each application will be no more than the total amount of government funding approved for all other eligible expenditure items under the same application, i.e. capped at 50% of the total approved government funding per application.
Cumulative Funding Ceiling per Enterprise
There is no limit on the number of applications by an enterprise for funding support under EMF. However, each enterprise may receive funding support under EMF up to a cumulative limit of HK$1,000,000 and a maximum of 50% of the cumulative limit may be used for applications relating to setting up/enhancing the corporate website/mobile application owned by the applicant enterprise.
Each application should cover expenditure related to one promotion activity. The maximum amount of funding support for each successful application is 50% of the total approved expenditure incurred by the applicant enterprise or HK$100,000, whichever is the less. The amount of funding support for video/product shooting and editing services for each application will be no more than the total amount of government funding approved for all other eligible expenditure items under the same application, i.e. capped at 50% of the total approved government funding per application.
Cumulative Funding Ceiling per Enterprise
There is no limit on the number of applications by an enterprise for funding support under EMF. However, each enterprise may receive funding support under EMF up to a cumulative limit of HK$1,000,000 and a maximum of 50% of the cumulative limit may be used for applications relating to setting up/enhancing the corporate website/mobile application owned by the applicant enterprise.
Important Things To Note
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No. All promotion activities will be evaluated independently in accordance with the terms and conditions prevailing at the time of processing an application. Previous approval of activities receiving funding support under EMF should not be taken as any guarantee of approval for the same/similar activities in future.
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Non-profit-making or non-profit-distributing organisations are not eligible.
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What options are available for application under EMF? |
How can an enterprise check if an activity/ trade publication/ electronic platform or media has previously been approved by EMF? |
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Applicant enterprises may choose to apply for an initial payment of the estimated amount of the expenditure eligible for EMF before the commencement of a promotion activity, to be followed by a corresponding application for final payment of the balance of the amount of the eligible expenditure after the completion of the activity concerned.
Alternately, applicant enterprises may apply for reimbursement of all eligible expenditure items after the completion of the activity concerned. |
An applicant enterprise can make use of the online service “List of Previously Approved Activities / Trade Publications / Electronic Platforms or Media” to search for information on the promotion activities, including local and overseas exhibitions, business missions, trade publications as well as electronic platforms/media which were approved under EMF in the last 12 months. The List of Previously Approved Activities is for reference only. Applications in connection with participation in these activities will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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FAQ
What is the amount of initial payment per application?
Under EMF, the funding ceiling for each successful application is 50% of the total approved expenditure incurred by the applicant enterprise or HK$100,000, whichever is the less. Applicant enterprises may apply for an initial payment of up to 75% of the total preliminarily approved government funding. Hence, the maximum amount of initial payment is HK$75,000 per successful application. TID will determine the total final amount of government funding for the activity concerned upon receipt of a corresponding application for final payment.
When will refund of initial/excess payment be required? What if the initial/excess payment is not returned?
An applicant enterprise shall refund to TID the full amount of initial payment or the amount of payment in excess of the initial payment together with any interest as required, if the amount of initial payment is assessed to be in excess of the total final approved amount of government funding, or if the application is subsequently rejected due to non-compliance with the eligibility criteria and/or conditions of use of EMF, or if the applicant enterprise fails to complete the activity concerned, or if the applicant enterprise does not submit an application for final payment for the activity concerned.
If the applicant enterprise fails to return the excess payment or full amount of initial payment as requested by TID within the specified period, TID may take administrative measures against the applicant enterprise including suspension of application services and cheque issuance (under other applications) for the applicant enterprise and its connected enterprises and/or related enterprises (i.e. enterprises of the same owner(s)/shareholder(s)/director(s) of the applicant enterprise). Legal proceedings may also be taken to recoup from the applicant enterprise the excess payment or full amount of initial payment together with any interest as required.
If the applicant enterprise fails to return the excess payment or full amount of initial payment as requested by TID within the specified period, TID may take administrative measures against the applicant enterprise including suspension of application services and cheque issuance (under other applications) for the applicant enterprise and its connected enterprises and/or related enterprises (i.e. enterprises of the same owner(s)/shareholder(s)/director(s) of the applicant enterprise). Legal proceedings may also be taken to recoup from the applicant enterprise the excess payment or full amount of initial payment together with any interest as required.
Can an application be amended after submission?
If there is any material change to the information contained in an application after its submission to TID, the applicant enterprise should promptly inform TID in writing. The relevant application number, the Business Registration number, and information on the promotion activity concerned should be provided in the written request to facilitate the processing of the request and to avoid any confusion. TID will not accept any amendment to an application which will render the application null and void.
Can an application be withdrawn?
An applicant enterprise wishing to withdraw an application already lodged with TID should submit a written request to TID to withdraw the application. The relevant application number, the Business Registration number, and information on the promotion activity concerned should be provided in the written request to facilitate the processing of the request and to avoid any confusion. For an application under which initial payment has been issued, the applicant enterprise is required to return the initial payment to TID upon withdrawal of the application together with any interest as required.
Next Steps |
Find out how our grant consultants can help your company secure the grant here.
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