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INDUSTRY AND TRADE
value of domestic exports covered by certificates of origin issued by the six organisa- tions during 1975 was estimated at $10,386 million. Of this, $6,781 million represented the value of exports supported by departmental certificates of origin.
Britain and a number of other Commonwealth countries grant preferential rates of duty to Hong Kong products. To support claims to preference, the Commerce and Industry Department issues Commonwealth preference certificates against detailed cost statements or legal undertakings given by manufacturers to use only Common- wealth raw materials. During the year, the department continued its efforts to pursuade Commonwealth countries to accept certificates of origin issued by the department with an endorsement to show the requisite Commonwealth content in the manufacture of the products, instead of Commonwealth preference certifi- cates prepared by accountants. As a result, 23 Commonwealth countries have accepted the simplified certification-of preference arrangement. At the end of the year, Antigua, Guernsey, Malaysia and Malta were the only remaining Common- wealth territories that were still considering acceptance of the simplified arrangement. The value of goods exported under Commonwealth preference certificates and endorsed certificates of origin during the year was $156 million.
A number of countries grant tariff preference to developing countries under generalised preference schemes. Hong Kong is a beneficiary under the schemes operated by Austria, Canada, the European Economic Community, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland. Form 'A' certificates are issued for exports under claim to generalised preferential entry into these countries. Steps have been taken to authorise the approved non-government certification bodies to certify such exports to Austria, Canada, Japan and Switzerland. The value of exports in 1975 covered by Form 'A' certificates amounted to $2,336 million. It is not known what proportion of these exports was actually granted preferential entry.
An estimated 62.6 per cent of Hong Kong's domestic exports were covered by certificates of origin of one type or another-46.8 per cent of them by the depart- ment's certificates.
A series of international trade facilitation meetings were attended by representa- tives of the Trade Facilitation Committee-an advisory body to the Director of Commerce and Industry and to industrial and other organisations in Hong Kong in the field of standardisation and simplification of trade documents and trade pro- cedures. The meetings were organised by the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Simplification of International Trade Procedures Board of the United Kingdom (SITPRO) and were held in Europe in February and September. They enabled Hong Kong to learn from and exchange views with both national and international trade facilitation bodies that are in the forefront in research and development of modern methods and tech- niques in the handling of trade documentation and trade procedural matters.
Administration
The responsibilities of the Commerce and Industry Department include the conduct of overseas commercial relations, industrial development and investment
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