| Date |
Event |
| 2 January |
The Department relaxes the arrangements of placing additional cremated ashes into public niches, including (1) relaxation of the definition of "close relative"; and (2) if an applicant prefers, each standard niche and large niche may deposit more than two and four sets of cremated ashes respectively. |
| 2 January to 7 March |
The first phase of the Anti-rodent Campaign 2014 is launched, targeting markets, market buildings, hawker bazaars, typhoon shelters, food premises, rear lanes close to food premises and other problematic spots identified in the territory. |
| 25 to 31 January |
A total of 15 Lunar New Year Fairs are held in 13 districts. |
| 31 January to 14 February |
The Department holds Lunar New Year Fairs at Che Kung Temple, Sha Tin and Lam Tsuen Fong Ma Po, Tai Po. |
| 18 February |
The Department makes available 1,000 new standard niches located in Cheung Chau Columbarium for allocation to indigenous villagers of Islands District, bona fide residents of Cheung Chau for a continuous residing period of not less than 10 years or their minor children. Applicants can submit applications through various means. |
| 24 February to 21 March |
The first phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign 2014 is launched to arouse public awareness and encourage community participation in mosquito prevention and control. |
| 3 March |
The Department extends the online cremation booking service hours by operating round the clock between 9:15 a.m. on Mondays and 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays (except Public Holidays). |
| 16 March |
The Centre for Food Safety organises an International Symposium on Safety and Uses of Food Additives. |
| 17 to 21 March |
The 46th Session of Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) is organised. It is the first Codex meeting held in Hong Kong since China started serving as the host country of CCFA. |
| 27 March |
The Department uploads lists of food premises with licences suspended/ cancelled by the FEHD to its website to facilitate restaurant-goers in making informed choices. |
| 28 March and 11 April |
The Department arranges memorial sailings during the Ching Ming Festival for the public to pay tribute to their loved ones whose ashes were scattered at sea. |
| 29 March |
The preliminary round of the Secondary School Food Safety and Nutrition Labelling Quiz Competition is held. |
| 11 April |
The Department holds an award presentation ceremony to present awards to the winning students in recognition of their outstanding performance in the Green Burial Poster Design Competition which was held between October 2013 and January 2014. |
| 12 April |
The semi-final round of the Secondary School Food Safety and Nutrition Labelling Quiz Competition is held. |
| 15 April |
The Centre for Food Safety launches a "Food Safety" mobile application to help people who are on the move keep abreast of the latest news and information on food safety. |
| 28 April to 4 July |
The second phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign is launched, focusing on the importance of eliminating mosquito breeding places during the rainy season. |
| 29 May |
The Centre for Food Safety releases the eighth report of the First Hong Kong Total Diet Study: Organochlorine pesticide residues. |
| 13 June |
The Food and Drug (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulation 2014 is published in the Gazette. |
| 18 June |
The Government announces that the Chief Executive in Council has approved the Private Columbaria Bill (the Bill) for introduction into the Legislative Council, through which the Government proposes to establish a licensing scheme to regulate the operation of private columbaria. Meanwhile, the FEHD launches a Notification Scheme on the same date inviting existing operators of private columbaria to provide relevant niche information and operational details for record proof of their pre-Bill columbarium status. Such information will form basis for reference of the future Private Columbaria Licensing Board in determining their eligibility in applying for licence, exemption and temporary suspension of liability. |
| 19 June |
The Department sets up two teams of Task Force (Food Business Extension Control) to combat illegal outside seating problem. |
| 24 June |
The Department makes available the last batch of 24,474 new niches located in Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium Phase V and Diamond Hill Columbarium extension for public allocation. Applicants can submit applications through various means, including online submission. |
| 30 June |
The Department implements new measures to ensure compliance with fire safety requirements by licensed restaurants and factory canteens to provide better protection and reduce fire risks. |
| 1 July |
The service of Internet Memorial Service is expanded to include the deceased who was a Hong Kong resident and whose body or cremated ashes was/were interred or kept in a Hong Kong private cemetery or private columbarium. |
| 1 to 3 July |
The Department sets up a booth in the Hong Kong Retiree & Senior Fair 2014 to promote green burials including scattering of ashes in Gardens of Remembrance and at sea, as well as the Internet Memorial Service to senior citizens and retirees. |
| 4 July |
The Centre for Food Safety kicks off a series of activities under the theme "Safe and Smart Ways to Cook" to promote safer cooking methods. Such initiatives include production of a set of TV and radio announcements in the public interest and organisation of the Food Safety Day 2014 at Chiang Chen Studio Theatre, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a series of public and trade talks. The final round of the Secondary School Food Safety and Nutrition Labelling Quiz Competition and Award Presentation Ceremony are also held in the same event. |
| 7 July to 5 September |
The second phase of the Anti-rodent Campaign is launched to sustain and consolidate the work carried out during the first phase and to enhance rodent control measures in targeted areas. |
| 30 July |
The Centre for Food Safety releases results of a study on sugars content of some non-prepackaged food in Hong Kong. |
| 1 August |
The Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap. 132CM) comes into operation. |
| 6 August |
The Department holds an annual forum with service contractors to promote understanding of and compliance with tender/contract requirements. |
| 14 August |
The Centre for Food Safety holds health talks on "Safe and Smart Ways to Cook" at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Food Expo 2014. |
| 14 August |
The Microbiological Guidelines for Food issued by the Centre for Food Safety become effective and supersede previous guidelines. |
| 18 August to 10 October |
The third phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign is launched to highlight the risk of dengue fever and Japanese Encephalitis and to sustain community efforts in controlling the vectors. |
| 11 September |
The Department draws 31,342 eligible applicants in a computer ballot for the last phase allocation of new niches at Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium Phase V and Diamond Hill Columbarium extension. Successful applicants are invited in batches to select niches according to the balloted priority. |
| 19 September and 10 October |
The Department arranges memorial sailings during the Chung Yeung Festival for the public to pay tribute to their loved ones whose ashes were scattered at sea. |
| 17 September |
The Centre for Food Safety releases results study on microbiological quality of prepackaged long shelf life refrigerated products. |
| 10 to 11 November |
The first meeting of the International Advisory Panel on Reduction of Dietary Sodium and Sugars in Hong Kong (IAP) is held. During the two-day programme, the IAP members met representatives of Centre for Food Safety and Department of Health as well as the media. The IAP members deliver a public lecture on 11 November and exchange their views with more than 100 healthcare professionals, trade representatives and members of the public. |
| 4 December |
The Chief Secretary for Administration visits Li Yuen Street East and Li Yuen Street West to understand the progress of relocation and reconstruction work of fixed-pitch hawker stalls under the Hawker Assistance Scheme intended to reduce fire risks. |
| 8 December |
Li Yuen Street East and Li Yuen Street West Hawker Areas become the first two hawker areas where relocation cum reconstruction and in-situ reconstruction of all hawker stalls (111 in total) under the Hawker Assistance Scheme complete. |
| 10 December |
The Centre for Food Safety releases the ninth and final report of The First Hong Kong Total Diet Study: Minerals. |
| 12 December |
The Centre for Food Safety holds "Veterinary Public Health Workshop 2014". Experts from China, Japan, New Zealand and Sweden share their experience and expertise in One Health and Food Safety Focus in the Supply Chain for Foods of Animal Origin. |
| 18 to 19 December |
The Centre for Food Safety sets up an exhibition booth at the 49 th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo to promote various food safety issues. |
