5
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1992
TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS SAFETY BILL
*
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT THE TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS SAFETY BILL WILL BE INTRODUCED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON APRIL 29.
THE BILL SEEKS TO CONTROL ALL TOYS AND SPECIFIED CHILDREN'S
SETTING SAFETY PRODUCTS ON SALE OR INTENDED FOR SALE IN HONG KONG BY STANDARDS FOR
A DUTY ON THE
TO SUPPLIERS ENSURE THAT THEIR PRODUCTS ARE REASONABLY SAFE.
THEM. IT IMPOSES
"WE RECOGNISE THAT THERE IS A NEED TO IMPOSE STATUTORY CONTROLS ON THE SUPPLY OF TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS IN ORDER TO BRING THEIR SAFETY STANDARDS UP TO THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL AND TO ENHANCE THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN, HE SAID.
THE BILL FOLLOWS THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKING GROUP ON THE TOY SAFETY WHICH COMPRISED REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TOY INDUSTRY, CONSUMER COUNCIL AND RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
"THE INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTARY TOY SAFETY STANDARD ESTABLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF TOY INDUSTRIES (ICTI) AND THE AS THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION (BSI) STANDARDS WILL BE ADOPTED RESPECTIVE SAFETY STANDARDS FOR TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS, HE SAID.
**
THE ICTI STANDARD, AN INTERNATIONAL SAFETY STANDARD FOR TOYS IS THE UNITED COMPREHENSIVE AND VERY SIMILAR TO THE SAFETY STANDARDS IN STATES AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY.
AT PRESENT, THERE ARE NO
CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS.
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS FOR
THE CLOSEST APPROXIMATION ARE THE BSI STANDARDS WHICH ARE WIDELY USED AND HIGHLY REGARDED IN THE INTERNATIONAL TRADING COMMUNITY, THEY COVER THE MOST COMMONLY USED CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS.
"THE BILL WILL BE ENFORCED BY THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT ON AN 'ACT-ON-COMPLAINT' BASIS," HE SAID.
"THERE WILL BE A GRACE PERIOD OF ONE YEAR FOR THE INDUSTRY TO ADJUST BEFORE THE BILL COMES INTO OPERATION.
BE
BE "THE BILL PROVIDES FOR A NOTICE SYSTEM TO
ADMINISTERED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE (CCE) WHEREBY SUPPLIERS MAY REQUIRED TO MODIFY, AND IN EXTREME CASES, TO RECALL THEIR UNSAFE OR CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS," HE ADDED.
TOYS
UNDER THE BILL, IT WILL BE AN OFFENCE OR SUPPLY IN HONG KONG TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS WHICH DO NOT THE STATUTORY SAFETY STANDARDS.
то
MANUFACTURE,
IMPORT
MEET
IT WILL ALSO BE AN OFFENCE IF A PERSON THE NOTICES ISSUED BY CCE.
DOES
NOT COMPLY
WITH
/ANY PERSON