XN000022-1973-04-30 — Page 2

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Monday, April 30, 1973

LICENSING SYSTEM FOR CERTAIN HONG KONG EXPORTS

The Commerce and Industry Department announced today that all exports

and re-exports of processed and manufactured foodstuffs and electrical products

powered by mains supply will be brought under export licensing from June 1, 1973.

It is also envisaged that toys will become subject to these conditions

at some point in the future.

A spokesman for the department said that the decision to extend

export licensing to these products had been taken on the advice of the Health

and Safety Committee of the Trade and Industry Advisory Board. The committee

was established in July 1971 to consider generally the problems of health

and safety standards of the products involved, and to advise on measures which

should be taken to identify and reduce problem areas.

The spokesman added: "In view of increasing consumer protection

activities in Hong Kong's major overseas markets, and the possibility that

importing countries might unfairly penalise all Hong Kong products on account

of the shortcomings of a few manufacturers, the committee recommended that

measures should be introduced to improve basic health and safety standards."

The committee also said action should be taken to prevent the export

of obviously dangerous or unhygienic products which could only give rise to

adverse publicity unfavourable to Hong Kong's commercial image,

The Executive Council and the Trade and Industry Advisory Board agreed

with these views.

The spokesman ...