| Certificate
of Origin Circulars
24-hour hotline : 23
922 922
Ref : CERT 200
26
August 1999
Dear Sirs,
Certificate
of Origin Circular No.12/99
Introduction
of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Certificate of Origin (CO) Service
INTRODUCTION
This Circular is to
inform the trade that Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) service for Certificate
of Origin (CO) will be available for Pilot Run with effect from 27 August
1999. The special features of the EDI CO service are highlighted in paragraphs
4 to 8 below.
EDI
CO SERVICE
-
As foreshadowed in CO Circular No. 9/99 of 23 July 1999, the Trade
Department has been actively preparing for the introduction of EDI
CO service. The EDI CO service will cover Fresh Application, Re-submission,
Amendment Request and Cancellation Request of applications for Certificate
of Hong Kong Origin (CHKO) and Certificate of Origin – Processing
(COP). Such CHKO or COP applications could be submitted to either
the Trade Department or the five Government Approved Certificate-issuing
Organizations (GACOs). Note
- Starting 27 August 1999, Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited (Tradelink)
will be providing, as a Pilot Run, the EDI service for CO to a selected
number of traders. This final stage of thorough testing is essential
before the service is fully launched and available to all traders. Upon
satisfactory results of the Pilot Run, tentatively scheduled for 6 weeks,
Full Production Launch of EDI service for CO is expected to take place
towards October 1999. The Trade Department and the five GACOs would
however continue to accept CO applications submitted in paper until
further notice.
SPECIAL
FEATURES OF EDI CO SERVICE
EDI
CO Applications Supported by EDI Production Notification (PN)
-
There will be no change to the requirement that CO covering cut-and-sewn
garments should be supported by validated PN unless otherwise exempted.
For EDI CO supported by EDI PN, the procedure is very simple. CO applicants
are simply required to quote the approval number(s) of the supporting
EDI PN(s) and fill in the respective debit quantity(ies) on their
EDI CO applications. The CO EDI system would be able to verify the
PN information automatically.
- On the other hand, for those paper CO applications, traders shall
continue to attach either a validated paper PN or a printout of an approved
EDI PN message with appropriate declaration. Details are set out in
CO Circular No. 10/99 of 23 July 1999.
Making
Declarations
- Similar to CO applications submitted in paper, CO applications submitted
via EDI are also required to make declarations. For EDI CO applications,
traders are no longer required to type the whole text of the declarations.
Exporter and manufacturer(s) can simply input the relevant declaration
codes. The text of the declaration will automatically display on screen.
Traders are strongly advised to read the content of the declarations
. Once the relevant declaration codes have been selected, it would constitute
an agreement by the exporter or manufacturer to abide by the requirements
and conditions contained in the declaration. Traders may refer to a
full list of declarations at Appendix I.
Please note that the mandatory declaration codes for exporter, manufacturer
and subcontractor (if applicable) are E01, M01 and S01 respectively.
The other declarations should be selected, where applicable.
Revision
of the Certificate Format
-
To cater for the direct printing of the CO Certificate by the EDI
system, the format of the Certificate has been slightly modified.
Your attention is drawn to the following changes :
-
The Original copy as well as all the other copies of the Certificate
will be in white color.
-
The words "ORIGINAL", "DUPLICATE" or "COPY"
will be printed at the bottom left hand corner of the certificate.
-
Apart from the certificate approval number, the Unique Certificate
Reference (UCR) Number will also be printed at the top right hand
corner of the Certificate for unique identification of the electronic
message.
The revised format of the Certificates of CHKO and COP of Trade Department
is at Appendix II (a) and Appendix
II (b) for reference.
Collection
of Certificate
- Upon receipt of the approval message from the certificate-issuing
organization, the applicant can collect the approved Certificate from
the office of an issuing Organization which he has selected at the time
of application. Traders are reminded to print a "CO Collection
Slip" from the customer software and hand it to the appropriate
certificate collection office. A sample of the CO Collection Slip of
is at Appendix III for reference.
WARNING
-
The Trade Department works closely with the Customs and Excise Department,
through checks and inspections, to ensure compliance with the provisions
of the origin certification system. Breach of any of the provisions
of the origin certification system or failure to comply with other
requirements specified by the Director-General of Trade including
those requirements promulgated by the Department through notices and
circulars from time to time may result in prosecution under the Import
and Export Ordinance or the Protection of Non-Government Certificates
of Origin Ordinance as appropriate, which provides for a penalty of
a fine of HK$500,000 and 2 years' imprisonment. In addition, the Trade
Department may take administrative actions against the exporters and
manufacturers (including subcontractors as the case may be) concerned
irrespective of whether they have been prosecuted. Such administrative
actions may involve, but shall not necessarily be confined to, any
of or all of the following : refusal to validate a Production Notification;
refusal to issue a Certificate of Origin; suspension of certification
facilities; cancellation of Factory Registration of the company/registered
business concerned; disallowing a subcontractor to undertake the principal
process(es) of manufacture etc.
- Traders are also reminded that physical and documentation checks
by the Customs and Excise Department are conducted as and when necessary
to verify the accuracy of the particulars declared on the licence and
other applications. Traders are required to produce the commercial and
manufacturing records for checking by Customs officers and be prepared
to make available the goods for physical inspection before export. Failure
to comply with such requirements may also result in legal and/or administrative
actions.
ENQUIRIES
-
Should you require further information , please contact the following
sections:
| General
Enquiry |
Telephone
No. |
Customer
Service Centre,
Trade Department |
2398
5525,
2398 5623
|
| Tradelink
Electronic Commerce Limited |
2599 1700 |
| Certificate
of Origin Section |
|
Mr. K. M.
Ng - Textiles products
Mr. H. H. Yiu - Non-textiles products |
2398 5545,
2398 5544 |
Yours faithfully,
(Miss Annie Loong)
for Director-General
of Trade
|
The electronic
SilkNet service provided by TRADELINK enables traders to submit
Restrained Textiles Export Licence applications directly through
their office computer faster and easier. For enquiries, please call
2599 1700.
|
|
