the charging of fees for endorsement of certificates of
origin for imports into Italy from Hong Kong, which are not
required on similar imports from other contracting parties
to the GATT, acts as a discriminatory impost on Hong Kong
exports, and an impost which is made more onerous when the
charges are levied on a sliding scale.
7. In the light of the above and, as the Hong Kong
Government believe that their arrangements to certify the
origin of Hong Kong products provide fully adequate safe-
guards against the possibility of imports from other
countries entering Italy as of Hong Kong origin, the Hong
Kong Government would ask the Ministry of Foreign Trade to
dispense with the requirement for consular endorsements on
certificates of origin issued in Hong Kong. They would also
wish, in this connection, to refer to the discussion of this
matter at the meeting of the GATT Committee on Trade in
Industrial Products in Geneva on 19th 26th March, 1969,
when a similar request to the above was made by the United
Kingdom representative and the Italian representative
replied that he would report the discussion to his
authorities.
8. Her Majesty's Embassy avail themselves of this
opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Trade the
assurance of their highest consideration.