ENG-1985 — Page 103

INDUSTRY AND TRADE

67

syllabus on the topic. At the end of the year, the council organised a campaign for 1986 to educate the public on consumer product safety.

The Consumer Council is a Council Member of the International Organisation of Consumers Unions (IOCU), and maintains strong ties with its counterparts abroad, including those in China.

Trade in Endangered Species

The possession, importation and exportation of endangered species of animals and plants including parts and certain derivatives, into and out of Hong Kong is strictly regulated by the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance which gives effect to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). While the licensing policy allows legitimate trade in scheduled specimens, import licences may not be granted in certain cases to help the survival of a species. For example, there has been a total ban on the import into Hong Kong of rhino products of all species of Rhinocerotidae since 1979. Hong Kong maintains its place as an important centre for legitimate trade in African ivory.

The ordinance is administered by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department and is enforced by officers of the department and the Customs and Excise Department. The Trade Department is authorised to issue certificates for ivoryware carved in Hong Kong. Illegal trade is investigated and prosecutions follow if there is evidence of a breach of the ordinance. During 1985, there were 487 seizures and 302 prosecutions under the ordinance.

Metrication

In the field of metrication, the government's objective is to facilitate progressive adoption of the International System of Units (SI) in those areas for which it is responsible, and the positive encouragement of the use of metric (SI) units by the private sector. The Metrication Ordinance, enacted in 1976, provides for the eventual replacement of non- metric units by SI units in all legislation in Hong Kong. Most government departments are now using metric units exclusively.

A Metrication Committee, consisting of representatives of industry, commerce, manage- ment and consumer affairs and government officials appointed by the Governor, is the focal point of liaison on all matters concerning metrication. It advises and encourages the commercial and industrial sectors in the framing of their metrication programmes. Partly through the efforts of the committee, public awareness of metrication has increased and considerable progress has been made in the adoption of SI units in the private sector.

In March, the committee launched a major publicity campaign to promote the use of metric weighing units and metric weighing machines. The campaign activities included a poster design competition, newspaper and radio quizzes, a recipe competition and a television games show in addition to the production of promotional posters, and radio and television commercials. During the year, metric conversion programmes were drawn up for the air-conditioning trade, the footwear manufacturing industry and the publishing and printing industries.

Trade Marks and Patents

Trade Marks are registered under the Trade Marks Ordinance, which is based on the United Kingdom Trade Marks Act 1938. The procedure is laid down in the Trade Marks Rules, and the prescribed forms may be obtained free from the Trade Marks Registry, Registrar General's Department. Every mark, even if already registered in Britain or any