Extract
R STRICT D
ROSSVVED IN.
No.51
-1 MAY 1969
1. KK260/20/1
Haly
To:
Director of Commerce and Industry, Hong Kong.
From: Counsellor (Hon Kong ffairs), Geneva.
Memorandum No. 54
File No. GVA/4/34
Date: 31 March 1969
My memorandum “o. 43 of 10 erch rcfers.
GIT
COMMITTER OF TRADE IN INDUSTRIAL "RODUCTS
12. ITALY. I outline leng meng's case in regard to Italian charges for consular endorsements of certificates of Hong Kong origin, pointing out that such certificates were only new required from Hong Kong; and a few other sources.
I pointed
cut that what we were complaining of was not the requirement for certificates of origin as euch but what we regarded as the exceptionɛlly high charge for the endorsement, which was related to value and was therefore additionally objectionable. The net effect was to introduce a discriminatory charge en imports from Hong Kong. I then suggested that the way out might be rither to remove the requirement for consular endorse- ment altogether and to accept certificates of crigin issued by the bodies in Hong Kong recognised as being competent to issue such certificates (I explained the safeguards in Hong Kong in this regard, including the Certification Co-ordination Committee),
Vitale (Italy) or to waive the fee for consular endorsement. replied by giving figures which, as far as I could see, did not differ from our own. lie claimed that the incidence of the charge was less than 0.1 of the volue of exports. that I could not necess rily accept these figures and reheated my request that either the requirement for consular endorsement Vitale said that should be done sway with or the fees waived.
almren
I replied
he would report back to Rome what had been said. added that the argument that fees were a low percentage was not really valid. Often charges of 1, 2 or 3 could be the margin that resulted in a reduction in trade.
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/i3.