XN000022-1996-11-08 — Page 8

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if the goods in question have not been exported at the time of the factory audit check, the manufacturer, the exporter or the subcontractor concerned must make the goods available for inspection before shipment, including, if necessary, the opportunity for inspection at the point of exit of the goods from Hong Kong and the manufacturer, the exporter or the contractor concerned will be expected to provide shipping information to facilitate customs consignment checking at the point of exit.

"Failure to comply with the factory audit check requirement or failure to render all necessary assistance and co-operation to officers of the Customs and Excise Department in conducting the factory audit check will result in the suspension of all licensing and certification of origin facilities as well as other facilities provided under the Textiles Export Control System." the spokesman warned.

"The Director-General of Trade may also cancel, suspend and/or revoke the relevant certificates of origin, licences and/or production notifications, and may discount the shipment performance gained by all licences taken out by the parties concerned during a specific period for the purpose of future quota/permit allocation. In addition, other administrative actions may be taken."

Breach of any of the provisions of the Textiles Export Control System and the Certification System will be taken seriously. Offenders are liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $500,000 and two years' imprisonment upon conviction under the Import and Export Ordinance.

End

New forms for employees to report accident details

Under the Employees' Compensation (Amendment) Regulation 1996 gazetted today (Friday), an employer will be required to provide more information to the Commissioner for Labour in the event that his/her employee is killed or injured in a work-related accident.

The Employees' Compensation Ordinance provides that an employer is required to give notice to the Commissioner for Labour in a prescribed form of any accident which causes death to an employee or incapacitates him/her for more than three consecutive days immediately following the accident. The form requires the employer to provide information relating to the accident. A separate form has been prescribed for reporting occupational disease in respect of an employee.