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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1988
F
AFTER
A
RECOMMENDATION
THIS DECISION WAS TAKEN
FROM INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP ON TOY SAFETY HAD RECOMMENDED THIS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF ENSURING THAT TOYS WERE SAFE.
++
AN
AS
"WE NOW WANT TO SEEK THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE TRADE AND TO HEAR COMMENTS AS TO WHAT STANDARDS SHOULD BE ADOPTED, MR MACLEOD SAID AT A PRESS CONFERENCE.
NOW
"THE WORKING GROUP WILL
BE EXPANDED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TRADE AND THE CONSUMER COUNCIL.
"IT WILL THEN EXAMINE IN DETAIL THE STANDARDS TO IN THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION."
J
ΤΟ INCLUDE
TO BE REFERRED
HE EXPLAINED THAT CONTROL WILL BE LIMITED TO CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS SOLD IN HONG KONG THOSE MANUFACTURED OVERSEAS WILL NOT BE AFFECTED. PRODUCTS SOLD IN HONG KONG TO COMPLY WITH THE CHOSEN SAFETY STANDARDS.
-
WILL
TOYS
AND FOR SALE IIAVE
WILL,
ВЕ SUBJECT
MANUFACTURERS AND IMPORTERS NOT RETAILERS TO PROSECUTION. ENFORCEMENT WILL BE CARRIED OUT BY THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY.
THERE WILL BE PROVISION FOR SEIZURE AND FORFEITURE OF GOODS.
PENALTIES TENTATIVELY ENVISAGED WILL BE IN THE RANGE OF
$20,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS.
OWN
:
"HONG KONG WILL NOT BE DEVISING IT'S
STANDARDS AS THIS WOULD BE DIFFICULT AND TIME-CONSUMING AND COULD CAUSE DIFFICULTIES FOR LOCAL MANUFACTURERS, MR MACLEOD SAID.
"WE PROPOSE TO ADOPT INTERNATIONALLY-RECOGNISED STANDARDS THE DETAILS OF WHICH WILL BE WORKED OUT DURING CONSULTATIONS.
**FOR EXAMPLE, WE COULD ADOPT THE STANDARDS OF THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ORGANISATION, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTRE OF TOY INDUSTRIES OR THE COMMITTEE DE NORMALISATION WHICH IS A BODY THAT SETS STANDARDS FOLLOWED BY THE EEC AND EPTA MEMBER STATES.*
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"OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO PROTECT HONG KONG'S CHILDREN," HE SAID.
"BUT WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT ANY LEGISLATION IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER GATT, THAT IT CAUSES THE MINIMUM DISRUPTION ΤΟ RESPONSIBLE MANUFACTURERS AND IMPORTERS AND THAT WE DON'T END UP WITH A NEW AND OPPRESSIVE BUREAUCRACY,"
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