FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1975.
NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN
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THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY, (FRIDAY) THAT FROM JANUARY 1, 1976, FIVE NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS WILL BE AUTHORISED TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN (FORM A) FOR GOODS SHIPPED UNDER GENERALISED SCHEMES OF PREFERENCES TO JAPAN AND SWITZERLAND.
THE GOVERNMENTS OF AUSTRIA AND CANADA HAVE ALSO BEEN REQUESTED TO ACCEPT FORMS A CERTIFIED BY THESE ORGANISATIONS.
UP TO NOW, ONLY THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT ISSUED THESE CERTIFICATES.
THE FIVE ORGANISATIONS ARE: THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES THE INDIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHINESE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION AND THE CHINESE GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THE STAFF OF THE FIVE ORGANISATIONS HAVE UNDERGONE TRAINING IN THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND ARE FULLY COMPETENT TO DEAL WITH FORM A APPLICATIONS.
A D C AND I SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE FIVE ORGANISATIONS WOULD APPLY THE SAME RULES AND PROCEDURES ADOPTED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND THAT CLOSE CO-ORDINATION WOULD BE MAINTAINED THROUGH A +CERTIFICATION CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE+ WHICH COMPRISES SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE ORGANISATIONS AND THE DEPARTMENT.
MOST GOODS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO EXPORT LICENSING IN HONG KONG. FOR THOSE THAT ARE, THE D C AND I, IN ANOTHER MOVE TO ASSIST HONG KONG TRADERS, INTRODUCED TWO MONTHS AGO AN ARRANGEMENT FOR TRANSSHIPMENT CARGO WHEREBY AN EXPORTER COULD SHIP AN INDEFINITE NUMBER OF CONSIGNMENTS UNDER ONE LICENCE VALID FOR THREE MONTHS.
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HE SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS CONSTANTLY SEEKING WAYS OF REDUCING TRADE FORMALITIES TO A MINIMUM, A POLICY WHICH HAD CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO HONG KONG'S TRADE SUCCESS.
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