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employers and negative ef fect on business ef ficiency. We urge the Government to take the lead to evaluate such an important policy shift instead of making piecemeal amendments to various Discrimination Ordinances as suggested by the EOC.

On the public consultation on draft guidelines under the Competition Ordinance, the Association’s Working Group conducted a thorough review on the proposed documents and submitted our views to the Competition Commission in December. We pointed out that the guidelines should set clear parameters for businesses with certainty in their application. At the same time, the Commission should promptly issue a block exemption for vertical agreements, which is consistent with international best practices. We also highlighted the fact that franchise, concession and consignment are very common types of business arrangements in Hong Kong’s retail sector. As such, we advised the Commission to only tackle these arrangements in cases where there is substantial market power.

About the retail Qualifications Framework (QF), I am pleased to update members that the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) mechanism was officially kicked-off at a ceremony on 29 November, 2014. The Association and the Vocational Training Council (VTC) will jointly organize briefing sessions in the first quarter of 2015 to update member companies and retail practitioners on the benefits of the RPL mechanism.

On the front of the Association's affairs, we hosted a cocktail to celebrate our office expansion at the newly refurbished office on 4 November, 2014. We were pleased to meet and greet our members and key stakeholders on this joyful occasion. In the future, the Association will enhance its services and organize more activities for members and fellow retailers with the new office facilities and space.

One of the most important events in the Association's calendar is the Annual Ball and Award Presentation Ceremony. This year, our Annual Ball was successfully held on 9 December, 2014. Nearly 1,500 guests filled 119 tables to celebrate another year's hard work. Again, I would like to express our sincere thanks to the Guest of Honour, Mr. Gregory So, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, for officiating the event and presenting the trophies to the winning companies of the "2014 Service Retailers of the Year" under the Mystery Shoppers Programme. We are also grateful to the event and prize sponsors, as well as the stunning band and dance performance by our fellow retail staff which made the evening an unforgettable one.

但對社會各界造成極大影響，更會加重僱 主的成本及降低經營效率。我們促請政府 帶頭評估此等重要的政策變動，避免草率 跟從平機會的建議而就各項歧視條例作出 零碎的修訂。

另一方面，協會積極參與《競爭條例》草擬 指引的公眾諮詢，我們的工作小組已詳盡審 閱建議文件的內容，並於十二月向競爭事務 委員會提交意見。我們認為有關指引必須清 晰釐定以供商界參考，使能確實執行指引內 容，而委員會亦應參考國際慣例，盡快就縱 向協議發出集體豁免。我們亦在文件中強調 特許經營、特許權及委託是本港零售業常見 的業務安排，因此建議委員會只於此三類業 務擁有具相當程度市場權勢下，才處理有關 情況。

零售業資歷架構下的「過往資歷認可」機 制已於2014年11月29日的啟動儀式上正式 推行。協會將與職業訓練局（職訓局）於 2015年首季聯手舉辦多場簡介會，向公司 會員及零售從業員介紹「過往資歷認可」機 制的好處。

協會工作方面，我們已於2014年11月4日假 新裝修的辦公室舉辦酒會，與會員及各持份 者一同慶祝擴充辦事處之喜。協會日後將透 過更完善的設施，及更寬敞的場地，為會員 及零售業界舉辦更多活動，並致力提升服務 質素。

協會的周年晚會暨頒獎典禮已於2014年12 月9日圓滿舉行，當晚筵開119席，近1,500 名嘉賓聚首一堂，和我們一同慶祝過去一年 的努力與成果。謹此再次感謝經濟及商務發 展局局長蘇錦樑先生蒞臨主禮，及向「神 秘顧客計劃」2014年「全年最佳服務零售 商」的得獎者頒發獎項。我們亦感謝活動及 獎品贊助商，以及當晚為大家帶來精彩樂隊 及舞蹈演出的業界精英。