Changes to Documentary Requirements relating to Listed Issuers and Other Minor Rule Amendments

The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“Stock Exchange”) has on 1 February 2019 published the consultation conclusions on proposed changes to documentary requirements relating to listed issuers and other minor Rule amendments which was issued on November 2017.

The consultation responses were broadly in favour of the consultation proposals, where the amendment of Listing Rules will come into effect on 1 March 2019.

In summary, the main changes to the Listing Rules include:

• revising the declaration and undertaking by directors and supervisors in the form set out in Appendix 5B, 5H or 5I to include an undertaking to inform the Exchange of the director’s or supervisor’s contact information, to grant the Exchange with the power to gather information from supervisors and to align the Main Board Rules and the GEM Rules in relation to directors and supervisors’ obligations;

• streamlining listed issuers’ filing requirements in respect of an issue of new securities;

• removing the filing requirements for (i) documents that are submitted to the Exchange for record only and (ii) documents whose contents are already disclosed to the public; and

• other minor Rule amendments and housekeeping Rule amendments.

Listed issuers are reminded that the revised Monthly Return (FF301M/FF301G) and the revised Next Day Disclosure Return (FF304M/FF304G) will take place on 1 March 2019.  Existing directors and supervisors of listed issuers are also reminded that they should submit their contact details (as required under the amended Rules 3.20 and 19A.07A (or GEM Rules 5.13A  and 25.04A) to the Exchange as soon as possible and in any event no later than 31 March 2019.

The revised monthly return, the revised next day disclosure return and the contact details form are available at:

• Main Board issuers
• GEM issuers

The Consultation Conclusions and copies of submissions are available on the HKEX website at:

• Consultation Conclusions: Proposed Changes to Documentary Requirements relating to Listed Issuers and Other Minor Rule Amendments
• RESPONSES (FEBRUARY 2019)

The amendments to the Listing Rules are available at:

• Amendments to the Main Board Listing Rules (Update No. 124)
• Amendments to the GEM Listing Rules (Update No. 59)