2. Preferences are granted to selected agricultural products falling within HS chapters 1-24 listed in Appendix I. As for industrial products, preferences are granted to all products falling within HS chapters 25-97, except those listed in Appendices II and III. Products eligible for preferences under the Scheme will enjoy duty free entry into Norway.
   

3. In order to obtain preferential treatment under the Norwegian GSP, the goods must satisfy the Norwegian origin rules. In general, as well as products are considered to have originated in a beneficiary country if they are :
   

   1. products wholly obtained in that country; and
      
   2. products obtained in that country in the manufacture of which products other than those referred to in (a) are used, provided that the said products have undergone sufficient working or processing.
      
   In this connection, a list of working or processing required to be carried out on non-originating materials in order that the product manufactured can obtain originating status is at Appendix IV.
   
   
4. As an additional condition for the issue of Certificate of Origin Form A to cover GSP exports to Norway, the products in question must also meet the Hong Kong origin criteria detailed in Certificate of Origin Circulars issued by the Department from time to time, the latest one being Circular No. 14/96 of 21 November 1996. Copies of the Circular are available at the Certification Branch of the Trade Department, 700 Nathan Road, Kowloon.
   

5. Products eligible for preferences must be transported direct to Norway from Hong Kong. Transit through the territories of other countries, with or without transhipment or temporary warehousing, is permitted only if the products have remained under the surveillance of the Customs authorities of the transit country and have not undergone operations other than unloading, reloading or any other operation intended to keep them in good condition.
   

6. The claim for GSP treatment must be supported by a Certificate of Origin Form A endorsed and issued by any one of the following approved certification organizations :-
   

   1. Trade Department
      
   2. Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
      
   3. Federation of Hong Kong Industries
      
   4. Indian Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong
      
   5. Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong
      
   6. Chinese General Chamber of Commerce
      
      

7. Applications to the Department must be made on form TIC 185B (Revised) and submitted together with the Form A in triplicate at least two clear working days before the date of departure of the goods. A fee of $303 (w.e.f. 1.1.97) per application is charged and payment should be made in the form of stamps affixed or franked on the application form. Applications should be submitted in person to the Receiving Counters, Certification Branch, 3/F, Trade Department Tower, 700 Nathan Road, Kowloon.

8. Applicant manufacturers are hitherto required to declare in full the respective origin rule met on the application form. In order to simplify the declaration, they are required, with effect from 1 May 1989, to make the following declaration under para. 5 on the 'manufacturer page' of the application form :-
   
   "The Norwegian GSP origin rules detailed in Certificate of Preference Circular No. 2/89 dated 28 March 1989 for products falling under HS heading No. __________________."

   The 4-digit HS heading of the products covered by the Certificate of Origin Form A should be entered in the above declaration.

7. Checks may be conducted by officers of the Customs & Excise Department to verify the accuracy of the information given in the certificate applications. Under the provisions of the GSP, customs authorities of the importing preference giving countries may require the Form A issuing authority to conduct posterior verification on the preferential eligibility of goods covered by Form As after the certificates are issued. It is, therefore, important that manufacturers and exporters should keep all records of commercial invoices covering the purchase of raw materials or semi-manufactures used in the production of GSP exports and to make them available for inspection to facilitate verification by the staff of this Department or the Customs & Excise Department. Such records should be kept for at least two years after exportation of the goods. Failure to produce such records upon request could make it impossible for the eligibility of the goods to be established. The results could be invalidation of the Form As in question, the cancellation of GSP treatment as well as the imposition of fines against the Norwegian importers concerned.

8. Manufacturers and exporters are reminded that false declaration in an application for a Certificate of Origin Form A is an offence under the Export (Certificates of Origin) Regulations, Cap. 60. Administrative and/or legal action will be taken against any company which provides inaccurate information in any application.

9. The Department reserves the right to interpret the contents of the Generalised System of Preferences for certification purposes and to issue, refuse, cancel or revoke any certificate. The Department will not be held liable for any reliance on changes of the Norwegian GSP which are beyond the control of the Department, nor refund the application fees after the submission of application.
   

10. Should you require any further information on the subject, please contact the following officers :-
    Mr. K.Y. Chan (Tel. No. 2398 5549)

    Generalised Preference Section,
    Certification Branch,
    3/F., Trade Department Tower,
    700 Nathan Road,
    Kowloon.

    Tariff ratesenquiries (Tel. No. 2398 5354)

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