FRIDAY, MAY 18, 1984
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QUOTA FEE REVISED TO COVER COST
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THE APPLICATION FEE FOR TEXTILE QUOTA TRANSFERS WILL BE INCREASED FROM $30 AN APPLICATION TO $100 FROM JUNE 1 UNDER THE IMPORT AND EXPORT (FEES) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1984 GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD RECENTLY ASSESSED THE COST OF PROCESSING QUOTA TRANSFER APPLICATIONS (PERMANENT TRANSFER, TEMPORARY TRANSFER AND SWING TRANSFER) AND HAS ASCERTAINED THAT THE REVISED FEE IS REQUIRED TO COVER THE PRESENT COST.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE QUOTA TRANSFER FEE IS ONE OF SEVERAL TEXTILE-RELATED FEES ADMINISTERED BY THE TRADE DEPARTMENT, THE OTHER FEES COVER EXPORT LICENCES, FREE QUOTA EXPORT AUTHORISATIONS, SWING APPLICATIONS AND TEXTILE CONTROL REGISTRATION. THE PRESENT SCALE OF FEES HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE LAST REVISED IN AUGUST 1982.
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+ALTHOUGH ESTABLISHED POLICY WAS -- AND STILL IS THAT FEES SHOULD RECOVER THE FULL COSTS OF PROCESSING TEXTILE-RELATED DOCUMENTS, IT WAS FELT AT THAT TIME THAT TO MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO FULL COST-RECOVERY MIGHT PLACE AN EXCESSIVE BURDEN ON THE TEXTILES TRADE.
+ THE FEES SET IN 1982 ACCORDINGLY ENABLED ABOUT 60 PER CENT OF THE COST ESTIMATED IN 1981-82 OF OPERATING THE TEXTILES EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEM TO BE RECOVERED. IT WAS INTENDED THAT THIS SCALE SHOULD BE RE-EXAMINED FOLLOWING THE 1983 REVIEW OF THE TEXTILES EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEM, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE TRADE DEPARTMENT IS NOW CONDUCTING A COMPREHENSIVE COSTING OF THE TEXTILES EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEM, TO SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR RE-EXAMINING ALL THE EXISTING FEES. THIS EXERCISE WILL BE COMPLETED LATER THIS YEAR. MEANTIME, AN INCREASE IN THE QUOTA TRANSFER FEE IS BEING INTRODUCED AS A STEP TOWARDS RECOVERING FULL COSTS.
PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY BILL PUBLISHED
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PROPOSED NEW LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH THE HONG KONG ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS AS A LEGAL ENTITY IS PUBLISHED
IN THE GAZETTE TODAY.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE LEGISLATION WILL ALLOW THE ACADEMY TO FUNCTION IN THE SAME WAY AS OTHER TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS.
/THE EXECUTIVE