1
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1992
BILL TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM UNSAFE TOYS AND PRODUCTS PASSED
A BILL AIMS TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM UNSAFE TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS WAS PASSED INTO LAW TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
ΤΟ PROMOTE
FACILITATE CONSUMER AWARENESS AND
COMPLIANCE SUPPLIERS OF TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS, A PUBLICITY PROGRAMME THE LEGISLATION WILL BE LAUNCHED.
BY FQR
THE PROVISIONS
YEAR.
OF THE BILL WOULD TAKE EFFECT FROM
JULY NEXT
SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS SAFETY BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MS DENISE YUE, SAID A MULTIPLE-STANDARD-REGIME
TOYS, INSTEAD OF A SINGLE-STANDARD-REGIME, WOULD BE ADOPTED.
ADOPTED
UNDER THE ADOPTED REGIME, THE ICTI STANDARD, THE ASTM
IN ADOPTED
THE UNITED STATES AND THE EN71 STANDARD EUROPEAN COMMUNITY WILL BE PRESCRIBED AS EQUALLY ACCEPTABLE SAFETY STANDARDS.
OF
FOR
STANDARD
IN THE STATUTORY
"WE BELIEVE THAT A MULTIPLE-STANDARD-REGIME WILL MEET THE NEEDS HONG KONG AS A SMALL TOY MARKET, THE SECRETARY SAID.
"
MS YUE ALSO SAID IT WOULD MAXIMISE THE CHOICE OF TOYS SUPPLIED SUPPLIERS HONG KONG AND PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FLEXIBILITY FOR TOY WITHOUT UNDERMINING THE PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN.
IN
ΤΟ ENSURE
LEGISLATION,
THE AN EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT WILL ACT EXPEDITIOUSLY UPON RECEIPT COMPLAINTS.
THE
OF
AND
IN ADDITION, THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONDUCT SPOT CHECKS CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS.
ON TOYS
A DEDICATED TEAM OF TRADE CONTROL OFFICERS WILL BE ESTABLISHED TO PERFORM THESE FUNCTIONS, SHE SAID.
THE
SHOULD
BE LEGISLATION ALSO STATED THAT PRE-SALE TESTING VOLUNTARY. IT IS IN VIEW OF LEGAL ADVICE THAT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SANCTIONS PROVIDED MAY BE REDUCED BY THE ADOPTION OF COMPULSORY SALE TESTING.
PRE-
PRE-SALE
AS A POSITIVE STEP TO ENCOURAGE SUPPLIERS TO CONDUCT TESTING, AN AMENDMENT TO THE ORIGINAL BILL WAS MOVED, STIPULATING THAT THE COURT MAY
OF A TESTING TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE EXISTENCE
STANDARDS, SAFETY SHOWING COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATUTORY CERTIFICATE WHEN CONSIDERING A SPECIAL DEFENCE OF DUE DILIGENCE BY A SUPPLIER TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS IN PROCEEDINGS AGAINST HIM.
OF
THAT THE TOY MS YUE ALSO SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHARED THE VIEW INDUSTRY SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND OUT EASILY WHICH LABORATORIES HAD BEEN APPROVED BY
THE
FOR THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF INDUSTRY TESTING TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS.
PURPOSE OF
/SHE SAID