XN000022-1992-10-21 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1992

TRADE LICENSING PROCEDURES SIMPLIFIED WITHOUT SACRIFICING CONTROL

AFTER A RECENT REVIEW ON LICENSING PROCEDURES, DEPARTMENT FOUND THAT IT COULD ACTUALLY SERVE ITS CLIENTS ASKING LESS OF THEM.

THE TRADE BETTER BY

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE, MR DONALD TSANG, AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE HONG KONG EXPORTERS' ASSOCIATION TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR TSANG SAID A CAREFUL LOOK HAD BEEN TAKEN IN ALL AREAS OF LICENSING ACTIVITY IN WHICH THE TRADE DEPARTMENT WAS INVOLVED AND THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT THE DEPARTMENT COULD SIMPLIFY THE LICENSING PROCEDURES IN SOME AREAS WITHOUT SACRIFICING EFFECTIVE CONTROL.

"WE ARE NOW DRAWING UP DETAILED PLANS TO DO AWAY WITH SEVERAL CATEGORIES OF LICENCES IN SO FAR AS THIS WILL NOT COMPROMISE HONG KONG'S STATUS AS A LEADING AND MATURE TRADING CENTRE OF THE WORLD, HE SAID.

NOW PUTTING THE LICENSING TEXTILE IMPORTS

MR TSANG REVEALED THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS FINAL TOUCHES TO A NEW CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AND EXPORTS TO NON-RESTRAINED MARKETS.

HE EMPHASISED THE WORD "NON-RESTRAINED" AND ADDED THAT THE LICENSING PROCEDURES AND THE CONTROLS FOR DOMESTIC TEXTILE EXPORT TO THE RESTRAINED MARKETS WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED, AS FULL CONTROL THROUGH LICENSING COULD NOT DISPENSED WITH, IN ORDER TO SAFEGUARD HONG KONG'S INTERESTS AND TO MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER VARIOUS BILATERAL TEXTILES AGREEMENTS.

HE SAID THE NEW SYSTEM WOULD PROVIDE FOR THE REGISTRATION OF IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS, AS WELL AS FOR SHIPPERS AND FORWARDERS.

"THOSE REGISTERED WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR INDIVIDUAL LICENCES TO COVER CONSIGNMENT. WHAT THEY NEED IS TO KEEP PROPER BOOKS AND RECORDS.

"THIS REQUIREMENT GOES NO FURTHER THAN IS REQUIRED IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS.

"A REGISTERED TRADER WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED ΤΟ DECLARE THE DETAILS OF EACH CONSIGNMENT IN A SPECIFIED FORMAT TO THE DEPARTMENT.

"THE DECLARATION WILL BE LODGED WITH THE SHIPPER BEFORE SHIPMENT AND WILL PROVIDE THE STATISTICAL DATA WE NEED. NO LICENSING WILL BE REQUIRED,." MR TSANG EXPLAINED.

HE ASSURED TRADERS THAT THE INFORMATION REQUIRED THE DECLARATION FORM WOULD BE NO MORE THAN WHAT WAS INCLUSION IN AN IMPORT OR EXPORT LICENCE APPLICATION.

TO FILL IN REQUIRED FOR

LICENCES

FOR

THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF GRANTING IMPORT AND EXPORT TEXTILES GOODS GOING TO NON-RESTRAINED MARKETS WOULD BE ABOLISHED.

/THE PRESENT