XN000022-1982-08-03 — Page 10

TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1982

9

I

DUTY ON LIQUOR AND TOBACCO BASED ON METRIC QUANTITIES

****

IN CONFORMITY WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S DECLARED POLICY OF PROMOTING THE METRIC SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS, THE USE OF IMPERIAL UNITS IN THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ORDINANCE WILL BE ABOLISHED FROM TODAY (AUGUST 3).

WITH THE GENERAL ADOPTION OF THE METRIC SYSTEM IN EUROPE AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE MAJORITY OF IMPORTS OF DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ARE NOW IN METRIC UNITS. TO AVOID UNNECESSARY CONVERSIONS, THE TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO BRING THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ORDINANCE IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL TRADE PRACTICES. MOREOVER, THE OIL INDUSTRY HAS GONE METRIC SINCE JANUARY 1, 1981.

IT IS ENVISAGED THAT ONLY THE LIQUOR AND TOBACCO TRADE WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE CHANGEOVER FROM IMPERIAL TO METRIC UNITS FOR ASSESSMENT OF DUTY, COMPLETION OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS AND RETURNS, AND TREATMENT OF DUTIABLE STOCKS.

AS IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY THAT ON CONVERSION THERE SHOULD BE NO REVISION OF FEES, THE NEW SCHEDULE OF DUTY RATES USING METRIC UNITS WILL ENTAIL NO SIGNIFICANT REVENUE CHANGES OR COSTS TO THE TRADE, THOUGH THERE MAY HAVE TO BE A DEGREE OF ROUNDING UP AND DOWN.

WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT, DUTY ON BRANDY AND WHISKY WILL BE LEVIED AT $27.05 AND $21 PËR LITRE RESPECTIVELY. BEER IS ASSESSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS ORIGINAL GRAVITY WHICH, IF NOT EXCEEDING 1030 DEGREES, THE DUTY PAYABLE WILL BE $37.20 HECTOLITRE (100 LITRES). CHINESE TYPE SPIRITS OF ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH OF 30 PER CENT BY VOLUME ARE CHARGED AT $384.95 PER HECTOLITRE. DUTY ON IMPORTED AND LOCALLY MANUFACTURED CIGARETTES IS CALCULATED AT $43.65 AND $44.45 PER KILOGRAM RESPECTIVELY,

ANYONE WHO WISHES TO KNOW MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE CHANGES MAY CONTACT THE OFFICER-IN-CHARGE OF THE TICD DUTIABLE COMMODITIES OFFICE AT 2 RUMSEY STREET, 10TH FLOOR, HONG KONG (TELEPHONE: 5-456182 EXT. 255).

Page 10Page 11