Section: 204 Heading: Restriction of business Version Date: 01/04/2003
PART X
POWERS OF INTERVENTION AND PROCEEDINGS
Division 1-Powers of intervention
(1) Subject to section 207, the Commission may by notice in writing-
(a) prohibit a licensed corporation from-
(i) entering into transactions of a specified description or other than of a specified description, or entering into transactions in specified circumstances or other than in specified circumstances, or entering into transactions to a specified extent or other than to a specified extent;
(ii) soliciting business from persons of a specified description or from persons other than of a specified description;
(iii) carrying on business in a specified manner or other than in a specified manner;
(b) require a licensed corporation to carry on business in, and only in, a specified manner.
(2) A prohibition or requirement imposed on a licensed corporation under this section may relate to either or both of the following-
(a) transactions entered into in connection with the business which constitutes a regulated activity for which the licensed corporation is licensed;
(b) transactions entered into in connection with any other business which is carried on by the licensed corporation in connection with the business which constitutes a regulated activity for which it is licensed.
Section: 205 Heading: Restriction on dealing with property Version Date: 01/04/2003
(1) Subject to section 207, the Commission may by notice in writing-
(a) prohibit a licensed corporation-
(i) from-
(A) disposing of any relevant property;
(B) dealing with any relevant property in a specified manner or other than in a specified manner;
(ii) from assisting, counselling or procuring another person to-
(A) dispose of any relevant property;
(B) deal with any relevant property in a specified manner or other than in a specified manner;
(b) require a licensed corporation to deal with any relevant property in, and only in, a specified manner.
(2) In this section, "relevant property" (有关财产), in relation to a licensed corporation, means-
(a) any property held by the licensed corporation, acting within the capacity for which the licensed corporation is licensed, on behalf of any of the clients of the licensed corporation, or held by any other person on behalf or to the order of the licensed corporation acting within such capacity;
(b) any other property which the Commission reasonably believes to be owned or controlled by the licensed corporation.
Section: 206 Heading: Maintenance of property Version Date: 01/04/2003
(1) Subject to section 207, the Commission may by notice in writing require a licensed corporation to maintain property in Hong Kong and in any specified place outside Hong Kong such that-
(a) the property maintained is of the value and of the description that appear to the Commission to be desirable with a view to ensuring that the licensed corporation will be able to meet its liabilities in relation to the business which constitutes a regulated activity for which it is licensed; and
(b) the property is maintained in a manner that will enable the licensed corporation at any time freely to transfer or otherwise dispose of the property.
(2) The Commission may in any requirement imposed under this section direct that, for the purposes of the requirement, property of a specified description shall or shall not be taken into account.
Section: 207 Heading: Imposition of prohibition or requirement under section 204, 205 or 206 Version Date: 01/04/2003
The Commission may impose a prohibition or requirement under section 204, 205 or 206 in respect of or with reference to any licensed corporation if it appears to the Commission that-
(a) any property of the licensed corporation or its clients, or any property connected with the business which constitutes a regulated activity for which it is licensed, might be dissipated, transferred or otherwise dealt with in a manner prejudicial to the interest of any of its clients or creditors;
(b) the licensed corporation is not a fit and proper person to remain licensed or is not a fit and proper person to carry on any regulated activity for which it is licensed (having regard, among other matters, to the matters specified in section 129);
(c) the licensed corporation has failed to comply with the requirement specified in section 180(2) or, in purported compliance with such requirement, has furnished the Commission with information which was at the time when it was furnished false or misleading in a material particular;
(d) the licence of the licensed corporation may be revoked or suspended on any of the grounds specified in section 194(1) or 195(1) or (2); or
(e) the imposition of the prohibition or requirement is desirable in the interest of the investing public or in the public interest.
Section: 208 Heading: Withdrawal, substitution or variation of prohibitions or requirements under section 204, 205 or 206 Version Date: 01/04/2003
(1) Where a prohibition or requirement imposed under section 204, 205 or 206 is in force, the Commission may, where it considers appropriate to do so (whether of its own volition or upon the request of the person on whom the prohibition or requirement is imposed or any other person affected by the prohibition or requirement), by notice in writing given to the person on whom the prohibition or requirement is imposed-
(a) withdraw the prohibition or requirement; or
(b) substitute another prohibition or requirement for, or vary, the prohibition or requirement.
(2) A prohibition or requirement imposed under section 204, 205 or 206, or a prohibition or requirement substituting for another prohibition or requirement under subsection (1)(b), or a prohibition or requirement as varied under subsection (1)(b), shall, unless it provides otherwise, remain in force in accordance with the terms thereof until it is-
(a) withdrawn; or
(b) substituted by another prohibition or requirement, or varied,
by the Commission under this section.
(3) The provisions of this section apply, with necessary modifications, to a prohibition or requirement substituting for another prohibition or requirement under subsection (1)(b), or a prohibition or requirement as varied under subsection (1)(b), as they apply to a prohibition or requirement imposed under section 204, 205 or 206, and the provisions of this Division shall be construed accordingly.
Section: 209 Heading: General provisions relating to sections 204, 205, 206 and 208 Version Date: 01/04/2003
(1) Where the Commission imposes under section 204, 205 or 206, or withdraws, substitutes or varies under section 208, a prohibition or requirement, the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation (as the case may be) of the prohibition or requirement takes effect at the time of the service of the notice given in respect thereof or at the time specified in the notice, whichever is the later.
(2) Where the Commission imposes under section 204, 205 or 206, or withdraws, substitutes or varies under section 208, a prohibition or requirement, the notice given in respect thereof shall be accompanied by a statement specifying the reasons for the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation (as the case may be) of the prohibition or requirement.
(3) Where any request is made by any person to the Commission pursuant to section 208(1) for the withdrawal, substitution or variation of a prohibition or requirement, the Commission shall serve on the person-
(a) where it withdraws, substitutes or varies the prohibition or requirement in accordance with the request, a copy of the notice given in respect thereof and of the statement accompanying it in accordance with subsection (2); or
(b) where it refuses to withdraw, substitute or vary the prohibition or requirement notwithstanding the request, a notice of its refusal, together with a statement specifying the reasons for the refusal.
(4) Where-
(a) the Commission imposes under section 204, 205 or 206, or withdraws, substitutes or varies under section 208, a prohibition or requirement; and
(b) the reasons for the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation (as the case may be) as specified in the statement accompanying the notice given in respect thereof in accordance with subsection (2) relate specifically to matters which-
(i) refer to any person who is identified in the statement but who is not the person on whom the prohibition or requirement was imposed; and
(ii) are, in the opinion of the Commission, prejudicial to the person in any respect,
the Commission shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation (as the case may be), take all reasonable steps to serve on the person a copy of the notice given in respect of the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation (as the case may be) and of the statement accompanying it in accordance with subsection (2).
(5) Nothing in subsections (3) and (4) requires a copy of any notice given in respect of the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation of a prohibition or requirement, or of a statement accompanying it in accordance with subsection (2), to be served on any person if the notice or statement or a copy of the notice or statement (as the case may be) has been served on the person under any other provision of this Part.
(6) The Commission shall publish in the Gazette, and may publish by such additional means as it may consider appropriate, a notice regarding the imposition under section 204, 205 or 206, or the withdrawal, substitution or variation under section 208, of a prohibition or requirement.
(7) A notice published under subsection (6) may, if the Commission considers appropriate, include a statement specifying the reasons for the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation (as the case may be) to which the notice relates.
(8) The Commission shall-
(a) before imposing under section 204, 205 or 206, or withdrawing, substituting or varying under section 208, a prohibition or requirement in respect of or with reference to a corporation that is an exchange participant or a clearing participant, use its best endeavours to inform the recognized exchange company or the recognized clearing house (as the case may be) of the proposed imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation (as the case may be) by notice in writing; and
(b) where before the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation of a prohibition or requirement it has not informed the recognized exchange company or the recognized clearing house (as the case may be) of the proposed imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation (as the case may be) by notice in writing, forthwith after the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation (as the case may be) inform the recognized exchange company or the recognized clearing house (as the case may be) thereof by notice in writing.
(9) Sections 204, 205, 206 and 208, and the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation of a prohibition or requirement under section 204, 205, 206 or 208, do not operate so as to render an agreement unenforceable by a party to the agreement if he proves that in entering into the agreement he acted in good faith and was unaware of any notice given, served or published, whether under section 204, 205, 206 or 208 or under this section, in respect of or regarding the imposition, withdrawal, substitution or variation (as the case may be).
(10) Where by reason of the application of section 204, 205, 206 or 208 or of the giving, service or publication of any notice, whether under section 204, 205, 206 or 208 or under this section, a person rescinds an agreement, he shall restore to any other party to the agreement any money or other benefit received or obtained by him under the agreement from that party.
(11) A notice published under subsection (6) is not subsidiary legislation.
Section: 210 Heading: Cases of revocation or suspension of licensed corporations' licences Version Date: 01/04/2003
(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Ordinance, but without limiting the generality of section 200(1) (whether having application with or without reference to section 146(11) or 147(9)), the revocation or suspension of the licence of a licensed corporation under any provision of this Ordinance does not affect-
(a) the validity of-
(i) a prohibition or requirement imposed under section 204, 205 or 206 in respect of or with reference to the corporation;
(ii) a prohibition or requirement substituting for another prohibition or requirement under section 208(1)(b); or
(iii) a prohibition or requirement as varied under section 208(1)(b),
where the imposition, substitution or variation (as the case may be) takes effect at any time before the revocation or suspension (as the case may be) takes effect;
(b) without limiting the generality of paragraph (a), any power exercisable by the Commission under section 208 in respect of any prohibition or requirement provided for in that paragraph, at the time when, or at any time after, the revocation or suspension (as the case may be) takes effect,
and references in this Division to a licensed corporation shall be construed accordingly.
(2) Notwithstanding section 200(1) (whether having application with or without reference to section 146(11) or 147(9)), where-
(a) the licence of a corporation is revoked or suspended under any provision of this Ordinance; and
(b) the Commission has imposed under section 204, 205 or 206 a prohibition or requirement in respect of or with reference to, or substituted or varied under section 208 a prohibition or requirement imposed in respect of or with reference to, the corporation, whether before or after the revocation or suspension,
the corporation shall not, by reason of its compliance with the prohibition or requirement in force in respect of it under the circumstances described in paragraph (b), be regarded as having contravened section 114.
(3) For the avoidance of doubt, where the Commission has decided to revoke or suspend the licence of a licensed corporation under any provision of this Ordinance, the Commission may, at any time before the revocation or suspension (as the case may be) takes effect-
(a) impose under section 204, 205 or 206 a prohibition or requirement in respect of or with reference to; or
(b) withdraw, substitute or vary under section 208 a prohibition or requirement imposed in respect of or with reference to,
the licensed corporation.
(4) For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this section affects the power of the Commission to-
(a) impose under section 204, 205 or 206 a prohibition or requirement in respect of or with reference to; or
(b) withdraw, substitute or vary under section 208 a prohibition or requirement imposed in respect of or with reference to,
a licensed corporation the licence of which has been suspended under any provision of this Ordinance.
Section: 211 Heading: Application to Court of First Instance relating to non-compliance with prohibitions or requirements under section 204, 205, 206 or 208 Version Date: 01/04/2003
(1) If a person fails to comply with a prohibition or requirement in force in respect of him as a result of the exercise of any of the powers under sections 204, 205, 206 and 208, the Commission may, by originating summons or originating motion, make an application to the Court of First Instance in respect of the failure, and the Court may inquire into the case and-
(a) if the Court is satisfied that there is no reasonable excuse for the person not to comply with the prohibition or requirement (as the case may be), order the person to comply with the prohibition or requirement (as the case may be) within the period specified by the Court; and
(b) if the Court is satisfied that the failure was without reasonable excuse, punish the person, and any other person knowingly involved in the failure, in the same manner as if he and, where applicable, that other person had been guilty of contempt of court.
(2) If there is a reasonable likelihood that a person will fail to comply with a prohibition or requirement in force in respect of him as a result of the exercise of any of the powers under sections 204, 205, 206 and 208, the Commission may, by originating summons or originating motion, apply to the Court of First Instance for an order that the person, and any other person who the Court is satisfied is able to procure the person to comply with the prohibition or requirement (as the case may be), to take such action or refrain from taking such action as the Court directs.
(3) An originating summons under this section shall be in Form No. 10 in Appendix A to the Rules of the High Court (Cap 4 sub. leg. A).