Administration's Further Response to Concerns raised
on 8 September 1999 by Members of the Bills Committee
on Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Bill

C2:

Under clause 34(2), an EA published in a registered local newspaper is exempted from the printing details requirement specified under clause 34(1). The Administration considers it undesirable to extend the exemption to an EA placed in a foreign newspaper circulated in Hong Kong. The Administration is requested to advise on the statutory requirements imposed by overseas jurisdictions on an EA placed in a registered local newspaper vis-a-vis a foreign newspaper circulated in their countries and the actions taken in case of non-compliance.

A2:

According to information available, there is no specific statutory requirement relating to newspapers EAs in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, UK and USA. In Japan, a candidate is required to submit a draft of his newspaper EA to the authority when he submits his nomination. The final design of the EA can be decided upon by the candidate and the newspapers concerned without further approval from the authority. A candidate can only place his newspaper EA for a total of five times either in the same or different newspapers. There is no specific distinction between a local newspaper or a foreign newspaper.

Constitutional Affairs Bureau
4 October 1999

CWP1152