|
Certificate
of Preference Circulars
24-hour hotline :
23 922 922
Ref : CERT 702
10 February
2000
Dear Sirs,
Commercial
Information Circular No. 14/00
Certificate
of Preference Circular No. 1/00
Graduation
of Hong Kong from
Japan's Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) Scheme
The Japanese Customs
Tariff Council has submitted to the Ministry of Finance a proposal recommending
complete graduation of certain beneficiary economies, including Hong Kong,
from Japan's GSP Scheme on 1 April 2000.
DETAILS
OF THE GRADUATION ARRANGEMENT
-
Under the proposal, current beneficiary economies will be excluded
from the Japanese GSP Scheme on 1 April 2000 if: (a) the economy in
question has been classified as a high income economy in World Bank
Atlas in the past three years consecutively (in this case 1997 to
1999); or (b) the economy is recognised to have attained the same
level of per capita Gross National Product (GNP) as a high income
economy as defined in the "World Bank Atlas" in the past
three years consecutively.
- Our intelligence also indicates that a total of 19 economies will
be graduated from the Japanese GSP Scheme on 1 April 2000. They are
Hong Kong, Bahamas, Bermuda, Brunei Darussalam, Cayman Islands, Chinese
Taipei, Cyprus, Greenland, Guam, Israel, Republic of Korea, Kuwait,
Macau, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Qatar, Singapore, United
Arab Emirates and US Virgin Islands.
Transitional
Arrangement
- As far as we know, the proposal has not included transitional arrangement
for goods eligible for GSP benefit from these 19 economies. In other
words, traders are required to present their Certificate of Origin Form
A to and comply with the relevant formalities required by the Japanese
Customs on or before 31 March 2000 in order to enjoy GSP treatment.
We are trying to obtain further information from the Japanese government
and will keep the trade informed.
ENQUIRIES
-
Should you require further information on the contents of this circular,
please contact the following officers of the Department:
-
For certification enquiries – Mr. K.M. Ng of the Generalised
Preferences Certificate Section, Certification Branch. Telephone
Number 2398 5545.
-
For commercial relations enquiries – Miss Alicia Wong of
the Asia (Commercial Relations) Section. Telephone Number 2398
5671.
Yours faithfully,
Matt Ho
for Director-General
of Trade
To : All Trade and
Industrial Associations
All Subscribers of Commercial Information Circulars
All Subscribers of Certification Branch Circulars
| EDI
Service for Restrained Textiles Export Licence (RTEL) enables traders
to make RTEL applications directly through their office computer faster
and easier. EDI Service is now extended to Production Notification
and Certificate of Origin. For details and enquiries, please call
Tradelink at 2599 1700. |
Note : While every
effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department
cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance
placed on the same.
|
