Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : CR EIC 230/2/1/1/1

11 December 2008

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 625/2008

European Union (EU)* : Import Arrangements for Chinese Textiles and Clothing Products from 1 January 2009

Further to the Commercial Information Circular No. 513/2007 dated 17 December 2007, the European Commission ("the Commission") has just announced the EU's import arrangements for textiles and clothing (T & C) products originating in the Mainland of China (the Mainland) from 1 January 2009.

DETAILS

2. The EU and the Mainland implemented a joint import surveillance system for eight categories^# of T&C products originating in the Mainland for one year in 2008.
    
3. On 11 December 2008, the Commission issued a Notice to Economic Operators informing them that the joint import surveillance system would expire on 31 December 2008. The Notice is available from the Commission's website at http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2008:316:0017:0017:EN:PDF. From 1 January 2009, the release into free circulation of T&C products originating in the Mainland will no longer require any import licence or surveillance documents regardless of their date of shipment.

ENQUIRIES

4. For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact Mrs. Tracy Kwan/Mrs. Janet Tam at 3403 6352 or the undersigned at 2398 5427.

Yours faithfully,

(Ms Carmen Shiu)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

^#The 8 categories are: Cat.4 (T-shirts), Cat.5 (pullovers), Cat.6 (trousers), Cat.7 (blouses), Cat.20 (bed linen), Cat.26 (dresses), Cat.31 (brassieres) and Cat.115 (flax or ramie yarn). 

* The EU includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.