ENG-2008 — Page 168

120 | Commerce and Industry

The Government oversees the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals. The scheme aims to attract talented people and professionals from the Mainland to work in Hong Kong to meet manpower needs and enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in the world market.

Consumer Protection

Consumer Council

The Consumer Council is a statutory body established in 1974 to protect and promote the interests of

of consumers of goods and services and purchasers, mortgagors and lessees of immovable property. The council comprises 22 members appointed by the Government from a wide spectrum of the community.

The council's key activities include testing and survey programmes, complaint and advice services, consumer policy studies, consumer education and dissemination of consumer information through various channels.

To enhance market efficiency by improving price transparency for basic necessities, the council undertook four price surveillance initiatives during the year to track regularly retail prices of auto-fuel, food and daily necessities.

The council's testing and survey programmes seek to provide consumers with objective and up-to-date information so that they can make informed choices. During the year, 41 product tests, 19 survey projects and 49 in-depth studies were completed, covering a wide range of product and service areas from cooker hoods and trans fats content in food to lingzhi spore heath food products, cosmetics and financial services. Popular electronic products such as digital cameras, mobile phones and MP3 players were also regularly tested. Products were tested mainly for safety, performance, convenience, durability and environmental impact.

The council provides complaint and advisory services to the community through telephone hotlines, eight Consumer Advice Centres and its website. It acts as a mediator between consumers and the traders concerned. During the year, 42 050 consumer complaints and 130 585 consumer enquiries were received. Many of the complaints were related to telecommunications services and financial services.

The council also monitors trade practices and competition-related issues that may have implications for consumer welfare. During the year, it examined issues such as pricing of live pigs and auto-fuel prices. It also made 23 submissions in response to topics relating to consumers, such as healthcare reform and competition. law proposals. The council's chief executive is also a member of the Government's Competition Policy Advisory Group.

To provide consumers with independent and impartial market information, the council publishes the findings of its product tests and surveys together with practical advice to the public through its monthly magazine, CHOICE, which offers broad, multi-media access available in print and on the Internet as well as through residential fixed-line and mobile phones. In 2008, the council continued to organise