XN000022-1985-05-10 — Page 8

FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1985

ON THE OTHER HAND, EIGHT PREVIOUSLY INELIGIBLE ITEMS, AMOUNTING TO J.S. $43 MILLION IN 1984, HAVE BEEN REDESIGNATED .. THE 1985 SCHEME.

AMONG THOSE ITEMS NEWLY EXCLUDED FROM DUTY-FREE TREATMENT ARE STUFFED DOLLS, SWITCHBOARDS FOR BREAKING ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS, CERTAIN TOY ANIMALS AND CERTAIN FUR APPAREL.

PRODUCTS REDESIGNATED AS ELIGIBLE ITEMS INCLUDE, AMONG OTHER ITEMS, CERTAIN GAME MACHINES, TRANSMISSION DEVICES AND TELEPHONE SWITCHING APPARATUS.

THE VALUE OF U.S. IMPORTS OF GSP ITEMS FROM HONG KONG IN 1984 WAS U.S. $4 002 MILLION, OF WHICH U.S. $2 676 MILLION WAS EXCLUDED FROM GSP BENEFITS AND U.S. $1 326 MILLION WAS GRANTED DUTY-FREE TREATMENT.

THE 1985 U.S. GSP WILL TAKE EFFECT ON JULY 1.

COUNTERFEIT PROBLEM NOT CONFINED TO HK

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COMMERCIAL COUNTERFEITING ACTIVITIES ARE NOT CONFINED TO HONG KONG OR SOUTH EAST ASIA ONLY. BUT A PROBLEM FACING EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE, MR K.S. TONG, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

ADDRESSING THE DINNER MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KWUN TONG ON +AN ANALYSIS ON COUNTERFEIT GOODS+, MR TONG SAID THE VOLUME OF COUNTERFEIT GOODS TRADE ACCOUNTED FOR TWO PER CENT OF THE TOTAL GLOBAL TRADE LAST YEAR, OR HK$312 BILLION IN MONEY TERMS.

+ INFORMATION INDICATES THAT COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS CURRENTLY COME FROM FORTY-FOUR COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.

+FORGED AMERICAN MERCHANDISE ALONE WAS SOLD IN 66 COUNTRIES, AMONG THEM, 190 ITEMS WERE FOUND IN FAR EAST, 93 IN LATIN AMERICA, 78 IN EUROPE, 49 IN MIDDLE EAST AND 25 IN AFRICA, HE SAID.

IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE INTERNATIONAL TRADING PRESTIGE OF HONG KONG AND TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF THE LOCAL COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTOR, MR TONG SAID THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN STRIKING RELENTLESS BLOWS AT SUCH COMMERCIAL COUNTERFEITING ACTIVITIES AND WITH BRILLIANT RESULTS.

/IN 1978,