ENG-1995 — Page 143

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

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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. Services provided include the issue of certificates of origin and organisation of seminars, exhibitions, trade missions and other trade promotional activities. The chamber also maintains close links with trade organisations in China. Since 1957, it has issued invitations on behalf of the Chinese Export Commodities Fair authorities to local Chinese firms to attend the fair. It has run courses on Hong Kong's economy for senior government officials of China since 1982.

The Hong Kong Management Association is a professional management organisa- tion, incorporated in 1960 to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of management in Hong Kong. With a membership of around 10 000, 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 400 export and manufacturing companies. It disseminates trade information, voices members' concerns and assists in solving any trade problems encountered by its members.

Customs and Excise

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 certification of origin, textile import and export control, strategic commodities control, reserved commodities control, the trade declaration system, and consumer protection.

The branch works closely with the Trade Department to safeguard the integrity of the certification of origin and textile import and export licensing systems, which are of vital importance to Hong Kong for continued access to overseas markets. For this purpose, the branch carries out a vigorous enforcement programme by way of factory and consignment inspections, investigations and prosecutions. A high level of enforcement action is maintained against country of origin and transhipment frauds. Such activities include the operation of a reward scheme and the setting up of a special task force to target suspect shipments. The branch also maintains close co- operation with the enforcement authorities in Hong Kong's major markets to combat the frauds.

The branch plays a major role in the enforcement of consumer protection legislation, which includes the Weights and Measures Ordinance, Marking Orders for gold and platinum articles and the Toys and Children's Products Safety Ordinance. Through spot checks on retailers, the branch protects consumers from fraudulent or unfair business practices in connection with quantity, weights and measures. The branch also carries out surprise inspections on gold and jewellery shops to ensure that the content of gold and platinum is correctly marked. In 1995, the branch expanded its enforcement activities in collaboration with the Consumer Council to track down unsafe toys and children's products on the local market. This has resulted in an increased number of seizures of unsafe goods and prosecutions against the suppliers.