ENG-1994 — Page 149

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

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chamber founded and formed the Hong Kong Article Numbering Association, the Hong Kong Coalition of Service Industries and the Hong Kong Franchise Association; and sponsors the Hong Kong Committee of the Pacific Basin Economic Council.

Established in 1900, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce is an association of local Chinese firms, businessmen and professionals. It has a membership of around 6 000, representing a wide spectrum of trade interests and industries. Apart from providing a variety of services, including certification of origin and organisation of seminars, exhibitions, trade missions and other trade promotional activities, it maintains close links with trade organisations both in Hong Kong and China. Since 1957, it has been entrusted by the Chinese Export Commodities Fair authorities to issue invitations on their behalf to local Chinese firms to attend the fair. It has been operating courses for senior government officials of China since 1982, to enable them to better understand the various aspects of Hong Kong's economy.

The Hong Kong Management Association is a professional management organisation, incorporated in 1960 to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of management in Hong Kong. With a membership of around 9 800, it organises some 1 600 training programmes yearly and provides various management services such as translation, recruitment and the organisation of exhibitions.

The Hong Kong Exporters' Association was formed in 1955, and has a membership of 300 export and manufacturing companies. Its objectives are to protect and promote the interests of its members, to disseminate trade information, and to act as a representative body to voice members' concerns and assist in solving any trade problems they may

encounter.

Customs and Excise Department

The Trade Controls Branch of the Customs and Excise Department is responsible for enforcement of the Import and Export Ordinance and other legislation relating to certifica- tion of origin, import and export licensing of textiles, strategic trade controls, reserved commodities controls, and verification and assessment of trade declarations.

The branch works closely with the Trade Department to protect Hong Kong certification and licensing systems, to fulfil obligations under international trade agreements, and to combat infringements with a vigorous enforcement programme. This includes factory and consignment inspections, investigations and prosecutions. A high level of enforcement action continues to be maintained against country of origin fraud and illegal transhipment, through the conduct of more physical checks on textile imports and exports and the monitoring of consignments, traders and forwarders suspected of involvement in illegal transhipment.

An officer of the branch was posted to the Secretariat of the Customs Co-operation Council in Brussels in September, as a technical attaché to the committee on the harmonisation of origin rules - a project to be undertaken in pursuance of the GATT Uruguay Round Agreement on Rules of Origin.

In the field of consumer protection, the branch continues to play an active enforcement role. Apart from investigating complaints, it has initiated spot checks to deter the fraudulent use of inaccurate weighing and measuring equipment and the sale and supply of unsafe toys and children's products. It ensures compliance with the legal requirements relating to the