XN000022-1990-04-27 — Page 18

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FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1990

THE ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF

LEGISLATION OF

AMENDING THE SAID THE PURPOSE IMPROVE THE PRESENT CERTIFICATION LEGISLATION.

TRADE, MRS REGINA

TO WAS

UPDATE AND

IP,

OF NON-GOVERNMENT

CERTIFICATES

OF ORIGIN OF ORIGIN IN

THE PROTECTION ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED IN 1967 AND THE EXPORT (CERTIFICATES AND COMMONWEALTH PREFERENCE CERTIFICATES) REGULATIONS WERE ENACTED 1961.

OF

"THE CERTIFICATION LEGISLATION NEEDS AMENDMENT IN THE LIGHT

MRS IP SAID. CHANGES TO HONG KONG'S ORIGIN CERTIFICATION SYSTEM,

INTRODUCE AMENDMENTS WHICH WILL "THE OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN TAKEN TO ENABLE MORE EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

tt

REQUIREMENTS REGARDING KEY AND RECORDS ΤΟ

SHE SAID, FOR EXAMPLE, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN BE KEPT BY APPLICANTS FOR CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN HAD BEEN INTRODUCED.

ALSO, PENALTIES FOR CERTIFICATION OFFENCES WOULD TO BRING THEM INTO LINE WITH PENALTIES PROVIDED FOR UNDER AND EXPORT ORDINANCE.

"THE PENALTIES FOR MOST OFFENCES SPECIFIED IN ARE TO BE RAISED FROM THE PRESENT LEVEL OF EITHER

ONE AND

YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT YEAR'S

47 MRS IP SAID. $500,000 AND TWO YEARS' IMPRISONMENT,'

OR

$100,000

THE

BE INCREASED THE IMPORT

LEGISLATION $50,000 AND ONE то

IMPRISONMENT

ADDITION, IN LEGISLATION, SHE SAID.

WERE OFFENCES NEW

INCLUDED IN THE

AMENDING

THEY INCLUDED AN OFFENCE RELATING TO ORGANISATIONS REPRESENTING THEMSELVES TO BE GOVERNMENT-APPROVED AUTHORITIES.

DISHONESTLY

CERTIFICATE-ISSUING

A DOCUMENT WAS

ANOTHER NEW OFFENCE RELATED TO ISSUING OR UTTERING LIKELY TO MISLEAD ANOTHER PERSON INTO BELIEVING THAT THE DOCUMENT

OF A CERTIFICATE

ORIGIN

GOVERNMENT-APPROVED CERTIFICATE-ISSUING AUTHORITIES.

ISSUED

BY

OF

"THE INCLUSION OF THESE OFFENCES WILL STRENGTHEN PROTECTION CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT-APPROVED CERTIFICATION ORGANISATIONS," MRS IP SAID.

WITH INTENT A

FOR

OF

SHE SAID THERE WAS ALSO A NEW OFFENCE OF OMITTING,

IN MATERIAL PARTICULARS

APPLICATIONS TO DECEIVE, ANY CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN, IN ORDER TO AVOID UNDERMINING THE INTEGRITY HONG KONG'S CERTIFICATION SYSTEM.

ENFORCED BY

"THE AMENDED LEGISLATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE TRADE DEPARTMENT AND THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT,

FURTHER DETAILS OF THE AMENDING LEGISLATION WILL TO THE TRADE BY WAY OF A CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN CIRCULAR.

THE MRS IP SAID.

BE

ANNOUNCED

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