2600027
C.S. 20A (Rev.)
SAVING DESPATCH
From the Governor, Hong Kong
To the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
No. 762.
Repeated to:-
Repeated to:-
Date.
30th June, 1969.
My Reference.
CR 8/5/01/61
Your Reference
F5 Preo
My saving despatch No. 555 of th April,
No.
No.
1968.
Consular Endorsement of Certificates of
Origin - Italy
ED IN
་
I regret that further consideration of the above issue has been delaved for several months owing to the emergence of other more urgent problems. You will, however, recall that the British Embassy in Rome had advised that their informa 1 approaches to the Italian Ministry of Foreion Trade were not leading anywhere. and that they should be followed up by the presentation of a formal Note Verhale which should request the abolition of the requirement for consular endorsement of certificates of origin on Hong Kong exports to Italy. A draft of a Note Verhale was pre- pared in the Board of Trade and was shown to the Hong Kong Government Office as well as to Mr. Jordan when he was in London just before Christmas. Mr. Jordan promised to have the draft looked at in Hong Kong and indicated that any suggested amendments would he forwarded to vou in due course.
2.
In the meantime. however, it was noted that the question of consular formalities and consular fees was due to be considered in the course of the non- tariff barriers exercise in the GATT Committee on Industrial Products in Geneva, The issue of Italian requirements in this regard had been notified by Hone Kong and it was decided to defer further action on the Note Verbale until the outcome of the GATT discussion was known. The matter came up during the Committee's meeting from 19 - 26 March and Mr. Jones elaborated on the nature of the Hong Kong complaint. The Italian delegate's reply was not very satisfactory, but he promised to report back to his authorities in Rome. The exchange was reported in Annex 1 to Mr. Jones' Memorandum No. 5h of 31 March to the Director of Commerce and Industry. A cony of which was sent to Mr.
H. Stewart.
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LAST
K.
15 Pree
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