The Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government announced on the 16th that its mediation regulatory system working group has completed a review of the regulatory framework for mediation in Hong Kong and proposed 7 measures to improve the relevant regulatory system, enhance the professional level and competitiveness of mediation services in Hong Kong. The Department of Justice welcomes and adopts the recommendations of the working group, and will actively promote the implementation of relevant measures to consolidate Hong Kong's position as the "City of Mediation".
It is reported that the finalized proposed measures mainly include: mediation will continue to be a non licensed activity in Hong Kong, and practicing mediators will not be subject to mandatory licensing or certification regulations; The Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association Limited (hereinafter referred to as "HKIAC") should continue to operate in the form of a guarantee limited company to fulfill its role as an industry led mediation accreditation and regulatory body; By amending the legislation, granting the Hong Kong Mediation and Assessment Board the statutory power to appoint mediators when the parties fail to reach a consensus on the selection of mediators; As a representative of the mediation industry in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Mediation Council should actively participate in global discussions on dispute resolution and promote cooperation with mediation institutions around the world.
The Department of Justice of the Special Administrative Region Government stated that the working group recommends maintaining mediation as a non licensed activity in Hong Kong, which will help maintain mediation as a voluntary and flexible dispute resolution mechanism, and promote the public to use mediation skills in their daily lives. The Department of Justice and the Hong Kong Mediation Council will actively take measures to deepen the mediation culture in Hong Kong, and some of the recommendations put forward by the working group have made significant progress. (Looking into the New Era)