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INDUSTRY AND TRADE
exports covered by certificates of origin issued by these six organisations during 1978 was estimated at $14,380 million, of which $8,640 million was covered by government- issued certificates.
Form 'A' certificates are issued by the Trade Industry and Customs Department to support exports claiming preferential entry into countries that grant such treatment to Hong Kong under generalised preference schemes. These are Austria, Canada, the European Economic Community, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. The authorised non-government certificate-issuing bodies have been approved to issue Form 'A' certificates for exports to Canada, Japan and Switzerland since the beginning of 1976 and to New Zealand as from June 1, 1978. The value of exports covered by Form 'A' certificates in 1978 amounted to $8,615 million.
Although Britain abolished Commonwealth preferential rates of duty on July 1, 1977, 15 Commonwealth countries continue to grant Commonwealth preferential rates of duty to Hong Kong products. To support claims for preference for exports to nearly all of these countries, the Trade Industry and Customs Department issues certificates of origin with an endorsement to show the Commonwealth content of the products. The value of exported goods covered by endorsed certificates of origin and Commonwealth preference certificates in 1978 was $60 million.
An estimated 58.1 per cent of Hong Kong's domestic exports are covered by origin certificates of one type or another 43.4 per cent of them by government-issued certificates.
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During the year, representatives of the Trade Facilitation Committee, a body advising the Director of Trade Industry and Customs and industrial and other organisations on standardising and simplifying trade documents and trade procedures, attended a series of international trade facilitation meetings in Europe and a regional trade facilitation conference in the Philippines. These provided opportunities for Hong Kong to learn from, and exchange views with, other bodies concerned with trade documentation and trade procedures. One significant achievement of the Trade Facilitation Committee in 1978 was the completion of an aligned series of export document forms the 'Hong Kong Aligned Documents 1978 Recommendations' which are expected to be widely adopted by the trade.
Trade Industry and Customs Department
The responsibilities of the Trade Industry and Customs Department include the conduct of overseas commercial relations, industrial development and investment promotion, certification of origin, trade controls, the collection and protection of revenue from dutiable commodities, and the detection of contraband. The work of the department is complemented by several autonomous institutions either wholly or partly-financed from public funds.
On matters of policy affecting trade and industry other than textiles, the Director of Trade Industry and Customs takes advice from the Trade and Industry Advisory Board, of which he is chairman. It comprises senior unofficial representatives of various sectors, including commerce, industry, banking and insurance. The board is appointed by the Governor and usually meets once a month. The Textiles Advisory Board is a more specialised body, also chaired by the Director, that is consulted on