Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon, who is also the spokesman for the government’s top advisory Executive Council, has announced that takeaways have until 15 November to register with the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) or face a fine of up to MOP 35,000.
According to Cheong, offenders will face a fine of between MOP 5,000 and 35,000.
Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon said that all of Macao’s estimated 1,900 takeaways would be covered by the new registration system.
Cheong first told lawmakers last year that the government would set up a mandatory registration system for the city’s takeaways in 2021.
The city’s eateries and restaurants are licensed by the IAM or the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO). However, takeaways are currently not covered by the government’s licensing system for the restaurant sector as they do not provide on-site dining services.
The government rolled out a voluntary registration system for the city’s takeaways and online food outlets in 2016 but lawmakers and civic leaders criticised the scheme for being ineffective.
Cheong said that the new registration system will cover takeaways which are not covered by the government’s licensing system for the restaurant sector, adding that the new registration system aims to ensure food safety by strengthening the government’s supervision of the production and processing of food in the city.
Those who intend to run a takeaway after 15 November – when the administrative regulation takes effect – will have to register with the Municipal Affairs Bureau first before being allowed to run the business, according to Cheong.
However, according to Cheong, existing takeaways that have registered with the Financial Services Bureau to run a business before the new registration system takes effect – can register with the IAM within six months after the new administrative regulation takes effect.
Cheong also said that according to the new regulation, takeaways will have to be run in a shop and will not be allowed to operate in a residential unit.
He added that takeaways which have still not registered with the Municipal Affairs Bureau will not be allowed to be listed on any takeaway platform mobile apps.
In addition, Cheong also said that the government would only consider setting a licensing system for takeaways after the new registration system has been running for a certain period of time, reported The Macau Post Daily.
