At the 2nd Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Legal Departments Joint Conference in 2020, the working proposal of the GBA Mediation Platform was endorsed. The GBA Mediation Platform is an authoritative platform for high-level exchange and cooperation among the legal departments of the three governments, discharging the role of a standard-setting body with a view to promoting the wider use of mediation within the GBA. The GBA Mediation Platform explores the promulgation of a set of unified qualification, accreditation and other relevant standards for mediators in the GBA, and facilitates the establishment of a local panel of qualified GBA mediators in each of the three places. It also studies the formulation of best practices for mediation rules applicable to cross-border disputes and best practices for mediators’ code of conduct. These standards and best practices can enhance the confidence of the public to use mediation in the GBA which will facilitate qualified GBA mediators to provide mediation services and promote the use of mediation in the GBA.
Subsequently, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Legal Departments Joint Conference promulgated and enacted two standards, namely the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mediator Accreditation Standards” and the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mediator Code of Conduct Best Practice”, as well as the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cross-boundary Disputes Mediation Model Rules”. The two standards and the model rules came into effect on 30 December 2021 and 30 December 2022 respectively.
According to “The Greater Bay Area Mediator Accreditation Standards” promulgated and enacted by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mediation Platform, the legal departments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao shall formulate their own local accreditation rules according to the actual circumstances of each place, and conduct their own accreditation of GBA Mediators and form lists of GBA Mediators endorsed by each of the three places. These lists shall be submitted to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mediation Working Group for review, after which a consolidated panel of GBA Mediators will be formed.
The Department of Justice of the Hong Kong SAR Government formulates and promulgates “The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mediator Accreditation Rules (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region)” applicable to the accreditation through Hong Kong based on the requirements of “The Greater Bay Area Mediator Accreditation Standards”.
For news and information on GBA Mediator Training Course in Hong Kong and GBA Mediator (Hong Kong) Accreditation, please visit this website.
The GBA Mediator Panel 2025 has been officially endorsed by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Legal Departments Joint Conference and was announced on 30 December 2025. The establishment of such panel underscores the efforts of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to promote high-quality and efficient mediation services within the Greater Bay Area.
Please check this link for the GBA Mediator Panel 2025 (Chinese only).