TNAG-1856-FCO40-2631-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 159

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

28 June 1989 香港立法局—————————一九八九年六月二十八日

23

The International Committee of the Red Cross was established in Switzerland in 1863. Its functions include providing and co-ordinating medical services in time of war or internal strife, and other humanitarian services, such as monitoring the care of prisoners of war and facilitating contacts between families separated by war or political barriers. The International Committee of the Red Cross has established a regional delegation in Hong Kong to carry out the work of the committee in Southeast Asia and the Far East. Hong Kong has been selected as the regional base because of its central location, its good communications and because it is a society in which an organization with an international humanitarian role such as the International Committee of the Red Cross can function without fear of political interference.

If enacted, the Bill will grant the following privileges and immunities to the committee:

immunity for the regional delegation in Hong Kong from legal process. This is limited to cases arising from the Regional Delegation's official functions;

inviolability of archives and premises occupied as offices;

exemption from taxes and rates on office and residential premises;

exemption from duties and taxes on goods and publications directly imported or exported by the International Committee of the Red Cross for use in its official functions, subject to conditions which may be laid down by the Commissioner for Customs and Excise;

exemption from restrictions and prohibitions on the import and export of goods and publications for official purposes;

immunity from legal process for the delegates. This is limited to cases. arising from the International Committee of the Red Cross's official functions and applies only to full members of the delegation and not to locally employed staff;

exemption from salaries tax on emoluments received as a delegate of the committee. This exemption also applies only to full members of the delegation and not to locally employed staff;

exemption from stamp duty for International Committee of the Red Cross delegates or premises as the Chief Secretary may certify under section 43(3) of the Stamp Duty Ordinance.