INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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ban on the import into Hong Kong of rhino products of all species of Rhinocerotidae since February 1979.
Illegal trade is investigated and prosecutions follow if there is evidence of a breach of the ordinance. During 1982, there were 250 seizures and 200 prosecutions under the ordinance.
Metrication
In the field of metrication, the government's objective is the progressive adoption of the International System of Units (SI) in those areas for which it is responsible, and the positive encouragement of the use of metric units by the private sector. The Metrication Ordinance, enacted in 1976, provides for the eventual replacement of non-metric units by SI in all legislation in Hong Kong.
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A Metrication Committee, with an unofficial chairman and consisting of government officials and representatives of industry, commerce, management and consumer affairs, was appointed by the Governor in January, 1978. The committee is the focal point of liaison on all matters concerning metrication, and it advises and encourages various groups within the private sector in the framing of their programmes for metrication. In the intervening period there has been a generally increased public awareness of the topic and progress has been made in the adoption of SI particularly within government and in specific areas of the private sector.
In the public sector, postal services were metricated with effect from August 5, 1980. The Lands, Urban Services, Rating and Valuation, and Education Departments now use metric units exclusively. Customs tariffs are in metric units and the Imports and Exports Classification List requires data to be in metric units. All other departments are well advanced in their implementation programmes.
In the private sector, petrol and petroleum products have been sold in metric units since 1981. The metric conversion programme for the plastics industry, which commenced in April 1981, is scheduled to be completed by 1983. The piece goods and the tailoring industries began their metric conversion in November 1982. The year also saw the start of a programme to encourage the use of metric units in the sale of electrical appliances, starting with television sets and refrigerators; it is expected that all other electrical appliances will be sold in metric units by the end of 1983. Other programmes of metric conversion have been drawn up for electrical wires and cables, conduit accessories, pharmaceutical products, detergent and soap, and chemical products; metric units will be progressively adopted in these industries during 1983. The sale of consumer goods at the wholesale level is almost entirely in metric units and adoption of metric units at the retail level is becoming more widespread.
A continuing effort has been made in the field of publicity and public education. Apart from the production of promotional leaflets, posters and radio and television commercials, a territory-wide 10-day metric public awareness and participation programme will be conducted in January 1983.
Trade Marks and Patents
Trade Marks are registered under the Trade Marks Ordinance, which is based on the United Kingdom Trade Marks Act 1938. The procedure is laid down in the Trade Marks Rules, and the prescribed forms may be obtained free from the Trade Marks Registry, Registrar General's Department. Every mark, even if already registered in Britain or any other country, must satisfy all the requirements of the Hong Kong Trade Marks