XN000022-1979-03-30 — Page 9

8

-

FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1979

AT 11 A.M. TOMORROW, WINNERS OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC, POETRY AND DANCE CONTESTS WILL BE PRESENTED WITH PRIZES BY THE DIRECTOR OF BROADCASTING, MR. DONALD KERR, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, MR. EDWARD NICHOLS, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BROADCASTING, MR. STUART WILKINSON, AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES, MR. JOHNNIE JOHNSTON.

YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO COVER THE OPENING OF THE EXHIBITION AND PRESENTATION OF PRIZES AT 11 A.M. TOMORROW AT EDINBURGH PLACE.

0

REGIONAL SEMINAR ON THE QSP FOR ASIAN COUNTRIES

****

A GSP EXPERT FROM THE TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT WILL REPRESENT HONG KONG IN THE REGIONAL SEMINAR ON THE GENERALISED SCHEMES OF PREFERENCES FOR ASIAN COUNTRIES JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT (UNCTAD) AND THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP) TO BE HELD IN NEW DELHI, INDIA DURING APRIL 2 - 12.

THE SEMINAR AIMS AT PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OFFICIALS FROM THE PREFERENCE-RECEIVING COUNTRIES IN ASIA TO OBTAIN UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON THE DIFFERENT SCHEMES OF PREFERENCES AND TO EXAMINE AND DISCUSS SPECIFIC TOPICS REGARDING THE WAYS AND MEANS FOR ENSURING THE FULLER UTILISATION OF THE VARIOUS GENERALISED SCHEMES OF PREFERENCES.

HONG KONG IS INCLUDED AS BENEFICIARY IN NINE DIFFERENT GENERALISED SCHEMES OF PREFERENCES OPERATED BY 17 COUNTRIES. THESE ARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA, CANADA, THE NINE MEMBERS OF THE EEC, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND AND THE U.S.A.

HONG KONG HAS BEEN CERTIFYING GSP EXPORTS SINCE JULY 1971 WHEN THE EEC GSP WAS INTRODUCED. IN 1978, ABOUT 21 PER CENT BY VALUE OF OUR TOTAL DOMESTIC EXPORTS ARE COVERED BY FORMS A ISSUED UNDER THE VARIOUS GENERALISED SCHEMES OF PREFERENCES. OF THESE OSP EXPORTS, 38 PER CENT WENT TO THE U.S.A. AND 45 PER CENT TO THE EEC COUNTRIES.

MR. P.C. LEUNG, PRINCIPAL TRADE OFFICER OF THE CERTIFICATION BRANCH OF THE TRADE" INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT WILL LEAVE HONG KONG ON SUNDAY, APRIL 1, TO ATTEND THIS SEMINAR,

HE SAID THAT HE EXPECTED TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN MORE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON THE VARIOUS GSP'S AND TO DISCUSS WITH PARTICIPANTS FROM OTHER ASIAN PREFERENCE-RECEIVING COUNTRIES THE PROBLEMS RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE QSPS IN THE SEMINAR.

MR. LEUNG WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG ON APRIL 13.

19