Impacts to Shareholders’ Meetings in light of the amendments made to the Prohibition on Group Gathering Regulations

The HKSAR Government has gazetted amendments on 21 July with more directions and specifications under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F), the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) and the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I) to maintain most of the social distancing measures currently in place.

Listed companies and other parties involved in organising shareholders' meetings are reminded to refer to the Government's website for the details of the amended regulations as well as the relevant requirements and conditions. It is important to consult and coordinate your meeting venue provider (and/or legal advisors, if needed) to observe the new and revised requirements in holding company’s shareholders’ meeting.

Regarding shareholders' meetings to be held by listed companies, key relevant adjustments made to Cap. 599F and Cap. 599G are summarised as follows:

• The latest amendments to the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) repeal the exemption for group gatherings during certain business meetings (previously applicable to shareholders’ meeting of listed issuers), so that they are to be regulated under 599F

• A new type of scheduled premises namely the "event premises" is added so that “specified events” including shareholders' meetings may be held subject to conditions to be set out in directions issued by the Secretary for Food and Health pursuant to Cap. 599F 

The above directions and specifications took effect from July 22, for a period of 14 days till August 4 (the specified period).

The key amendments on Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) in relation to “specified events” are summarised below:-

Specified events (including meetings, forums, symposiums, exhibitions, ceremonial and celebratory events, as well as weddings and certain business meetings which were exempted group gatherings prior to the legislative amendments) can be conducted at event premises subject to relevant requirements and restrictions. 

Some of the key relevant requirements and restrictions in relation to the specified events are summarised as follows:

1. Screening of body temperature
2. Provision of hand sanitiser
3. Unless otherwise specified, no more than four persons or the number of persons living in the same household, whichever is more, may be allowed in each group of guests or participants, except when the persons are participating in a photo-taking session and all of the relevant persons are wearing masks;
4. To arrange all event organiser(s) and person(s) who provide services for the event (if any) to undergo a polymerase chain reaction-based nucleic acid test for COVID-19 with test sample taken within 14 days prior to the day the event is held (the sample for such test should be obtained by combined nasal and throat swab) starting from 29 July 2021 and ensure that the event organiser(s) and person(s) who provides services for the event obtain SMS notification containing the result of the test before the commencement of the event and keep record of each SMS notification for 31 days; or, adopt alternative measure, which is ensuring that the relevant persons has completed a COVID-19 vaccination course and should keep the vaccination record as proof of vaccination.
5. For event premises, the maximum capacity allowed is (a) 100% if (i) all event organiser(s) and person(s) who provides services for the event (if any) and (ii) at least two-thirds of the visitors/guests/spectators/participants (in determining the number of persons constituting two-thirds of the customers, decimals, if any, are disregarded) have completed the COVID-19 vaccination course at least 14 days before the event ; and (iii) the staff members keep the vaccination record as proof of vaccination; or (b) 50% if otherwise.
6. Before any persons/customers are allowed to enter a premises, he/she must scan the ‘LeaveHomeSafe’ venue QR code using the ‘LeaveHomeSafe’ mobile application on his/her mobile phone or registers his/ her name, contact number and the date and time of his/her visit
7. No eating or drinking is allowed within any event premises (except within catering premises therein (if any)). Catering premises or scheduled premises therein must follow applicable directions issued by the Secretary for Food and Health.

For detailed requirements and restrictions, please refer to the:

• Government Press Release published on 21 July 2021
• “Summary of latest measures on catering business and scheduled premises” published in the government website. (Annex 1)
• N. (E.) 449 of 2021

Tricor At Your Service – Hybrid Meeting as Your Solution

Tricor as your share registrars can provide one-off solutions for all your above needs via our e-meeting platform (“SPOT”). Please contact your designated Tricor executive for more information.

Conducting AGM/SGM/EGM in the mode of hybrid meeting is seen as a solution and gaining increasing attention among listed issuers. To get well prepared to minimise the impact of COVID-19 pandemic or any future unpredictable episode on general meeting arrangement, you are strongly advised to review your articles of association (“AoA”) or bye-laws in order to ensure that there are provisions to facilitate electronic meeting and communication, as well as to bring the existing provisions in line with modernised laws, regulations and best practices. Tricor’s team has strong expertise in this area to provide assistance to amend your AoA or bye-laws. Should you require assistance to amend your AoA or bye-laws to facilitate hybrid meeting and/or make any other amendments, please feel free to contact your designated Tricor executive for a fee quote of relevant services and more practical advice.

28 July 2021

香港特区政府已就《预防及控制疾病（规定及指示）（业务及处所）规例》（第599F章）、《预防及控制疾病（禁止羣组聚集）规例》（第599G章）及《预防及控制疾病（佩戴口罩）规例》（第599I章）下的修订、更多指示及指明刊宪，基本上维持大部分现行的社交距离措施。

上市公司和其他参与组织安排股东大会的各方请参考政府网站，了解修订后的法规细节以及相关要求和条件。 在召开公司股东大会时，一定要咨询和协调会议场地提供者(及/或法律顾问，如需要)，遵守新的和修订后的要求。

关于上市公司召开的股东大会，对第599F章和第599G章的主要相关修订概述如下:

• 《预防及控制疾病( 禁止羣组聚集) 规例》( 第 599G章) 的最新修订废除于若干业务会议中的羣组聚集的豁免 (以往适用于上市发行人的股东大会)，从而在《第599F 章》下规管该等活动。
• 引入「活动场所」作为新一类表列处所，以便 "指明活动"（包括股东会议）可以在符合食物及卫生局局长根据第599F章发出的指示中的规定条件下举行。

上述指示及指明由七月二十二日起生效，为期14天，直至八月四日（指明期间）。

《预防及控制疾病( 规定及指示) ( 业务及处所) 规例》（第599F章）中关于 "指明活动 "的主要修订概述如下:

在活动场所举行的指明活动（包括会议、论坛、研讨会、展览、典礼及庆祝活动等，以及在法例修订前属豁免羣组聚集的婚礼及若干商务会议）可在符合相关规定及限制下进行。

与指明活动有关的一些主要相关要求和限制概述如下:

1. 检测体温
2. 提供手部消毒剂
3. 除另有规定外，每组来宾或参加者不得超过四人或同住一户的人数，以较多者为准；拍摄团体照时除外，但有关参加者在拍摄期间必须佩戴口罩
4. 须自 2021 年 7 月 29 日起安排所有活动组织者及就该活动提供服务的人(如有)进行有关 2019 冠状病毒病的聚合酶连锁反应核酸检测，而有关检测样本须在活动举行当天前 14 天内收集(有关检测样本必须是鼻腔和咽喉合并拭子样本)，以及确保活动组织者及就该活动提供服务的人在活动开始前取得检测结果的短讯及保留每次的短讯记录 31 天；或采取替代措施，即确保涉及处所运作的员工完成新冠疫苗接种，并保留疫苗接种纪录作为已接种疫苗的证明。
5. 就活动场所而言，(a) 如(i)所有活动组织者及就该活动提供服务的人(如有)及(ii)至少三分之二的游客/来宾/参观人士/参加者（在计算构成三分之二的人数时，应略去小数点（如有））至少在活动前的14天已完成接种新冠疫苗；及(iii)员工保留疫苗接种纪录作为已接种疫苗的证明，可占处所容纳量的人数上限为 100%；或 (b)否则为50%。
6. 来宾或参加者须在进入处所前利用其手机上的「安心出行」流动应用程序扫瞄「安心出行」场所二维码，或登记其姓名、联络电话及到访处所的日期及时间；
7. 在任何活动场所内不得饮食 ( 在其内的餐饮处所 (如有)除外 ) 。在其内的餐饮处所或表列处所需遵守食物及卫生局局长发出的适用指示。

关于详细的规定及限制，请参考:

• 2021年7月21日发布的政府新闻公报
• 在政府网站上发布的 "餐饮业务及表列处所最新措施概览"(附件1)
• 2021年第449号政府公告

卓佳，竭誠為您服務 - 混合会议作为您的解决方案

卓佳作為  貴司的股份過戶登记處，可通過我們的新電子會議平台( “SPOT 融會” ) 為  貴司提供一次性的解決方案。 請通過 貴司的專屬卓佳團隊，了解更多詳情。

以混合會議模式舉行股東大會被視為一個解決方案，日益備受上市公司所關注。為減低新型冠狀病毒感染爆發或任何未來不可預知的事件所帶來的影響作好準備，我們極力建議 貴司審閱公司的組織章程(「章程」)或細則，確保當中載有條文以容許電子會議及通訊，並且使現有條文更新以合乎現代化的法例、規則及最佳實務常規。卓佳團隊在此領域擁有強大的專業知識，可協助 貴司修改公司章程或細則。歡迎隨時聯繫 貴司的專屬卓佳團隊，以給予相關服務的報價及更多切實的建議。

2021年7月28日