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Textiles Trader Registration Circulars
Ref : EIC 9700/1/1
21 August 1998
Dear Sirs,
Textiles Trader Registration Circular No. 7/98
Textiles Trader Registration Scheme
Completion and Submission of Textiles Notifications
Traders registered under the Textiles Trader Registration Scheme (TTRS) are, subject to their compliance with a set of conditions, exempted, during the validity period of their registration, from the licensing requirement of the Import and Export Ordinance in respect of textiles which fall within the scope of the scheme. When a registered textiles trader relies on the exemption granted to him under the TTRS to import or export such textiles, he must cover his imports and exports with notifications. The scope of the TTRS, the procedure for registration and the conditions of exemption are set out in Textiles Trader Registration Circular No. 6/98.
- This circular sets out the various types of notifications and specifies how they should be completed and submitted. Textiles Trader Registration Circular No. 1/95 dated 14 March 1995 on the same subject is hereby superseded.
Types of Notifications
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There are 6 types of notifications :
| Type |
Purpose |
Import Notification
(TRA 552) |
to cover imports of textiles |
| Export Notification I (TRA 550) |
to cover exports of textiles of Hong Kong origin to countries or places which do not maintain quantitative restrictions on such exports from Hong Kong. These are countries other than the EU (note 1), the USA, Canada and Norway |
| Export Notification II (TRA 551) |
to cover exports of textiles which are not of Hong Kong origin to any country or place |
| Export Notification III (TRA 573) |
to cover exports to the USA of properly marked textiles samples of Hong Kong origin not exceeding US$250 in f.o.b. value
(Remark : Please see TTRC Circular No.3/01 on the revised conditions for the use of Export Notification III) |
| Export Notification IV (TRA 574) |
to cover exports to the USA of mutilated or stamped textiles samples of Hong Kong origin having no commercial value |
Transhipment Notification
(TRA 553) |
to cover transhipments of textiles |
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Notification forms are available for sale in Room 104 on 1/F, Trade Department Tower. When purchasing notification forms, a registered textiles trader is required to present, for inspection, the original of his Certificate of Registration as a Textiles Trader or a photocopy of it certified by him or his authorized signatory to be a true copy of the Certificate. Transhipment Notification forms are sold only to carriers and freight forwarders registered under the TTRS for, among others, the purpose of handling transhipment cargo.
- Notification forms purchased by a registered textiles trader must be kept in safe custody and must not be transferred for use by others, irrespective of whether they are registered under the TTRS.
Completion of Notifications
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Before completing a notification, a registered textiles trader is advised to read carefully the conditions of exemption set out in Textiles Trader Registration Circular No. 6/98 and the Conditions of Use at the back of the notification forms.
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Notifications must be completed according to specified requirements. The requirements which are applicable to all types of notifications are set out at Annex 1. Specimens illustrating the application of these requirements and requirements specific to individual types of notifications are at Annexes 2 to 13 (pdf format):
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Annex |
Type of Notification |
Remarks
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Requirements applicable to all types of notifications |
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Import Notification |
imports of textiles |
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Export Notification I |
exports of textiles of Hong Kong origin to countries and places which do not maintain quantitative restrictions on such exports from Hong Kong |
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Export Notification I |
exports of textiles of Hong Kong origin to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Turkey |
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Export Notification I |
exports of textiles samples of Hong Kong origin to non-restrained markets |
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Export Notification II |
exports of textiles not of Hong Kong origin to any market |
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Export Notification II |
exports to the USA of piece-knitted garments assembled outside Hong Kong from knit-to-shape panels not of Hong Kong origin |
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Export Notification III |
exports to the USA of properly marked textiles samples of Hong Kong origin not exceeding US$250 in f.o.b. value
(Remark : Please see TTRC Circular No.3/01 on the revised conditions for the use of Export Notification III) |
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Export Notification IV |
exports to the USA of mutilated or stamped textiles samples of Hong Kong origin having no commercial value |
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Transhipment Notification (In-bound) |
transhipments of textiles with both the in-bound and out-bound journeys handled by the same carrier/freight forwarder |
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Transhipment Notification (Out-bound) |
transhipments of textiles with both the in-bound and out-bound journeys handled by the same carrier/freight forwarder |
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Transhipment Notification (In-bound) |
transhipments of textiles with the in-bound and out-bound journeys handled by different carriers/freight forwarders |
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Transhipment Notification (Out-bound) |
transhipments of textiles with the in-bound and out-bound journeys handled by different carriers/freight forwarders |
- Notifications which are not completed in accordance with the specified requirements are invalid; they cannot be used to cover imports, exports and transhipments of textiles.
Submission of Notifications
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Regulation 6A of the Import and Export (General) Regulations stipulates that when a registered textiles trader relies on the exemption granted to him under the TTRS to import textiles, he shall deliver a duly completed import notification to the carrier at the time when the textiles are imported. There is no objection if the notification is delivered to the carrier before the importation. Regulation 6B of the same Regulations stipulates that when a registered textiles trader relies on the exemption granted to him under the TTRS to export textiles, he shall deliver a duly completed export notification (note 2) to the carrier before the textiles are exported. Regulation 6D makes similar requirement in respect of transhipments of textiles. Any person who fails to comply with this requirement commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $500,000 and to imprisonment for 2 years.
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The above Regulations also require the carrier to, within 14 days after the day on which the textiles are imported/exported, deliver the notification he received from the textiles trader, together with a certified copy or certified extract of the relevant manifest, to the Director-General of Trade. Any person who fails to comply with this requirement commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $5,000.
- It has been an operational measure that officers of the Customs and Excise Department at land border control points require the carrier to furnish the notification/licence and the relevant manifest for verification at the time of the textiles entering or leaving Hong Kong. In this connection, for importation, exportation and transhipment of textiles by road, the Trade Department accepts that delivery by the carrier of the notification/licence and the relevant manifest covering the textiles concerned to officers of the Customs and Excise Department at land border control points at the time of their entering or leaving Hong Kong constitutes the delivery of such documents to the Director-General of Trade.
Amendment of Notifications
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In case there are subsequent changes to the particulars of a notification after its submission, the registered textiles trader should, within 14 days after the day on which the textiles are imported or exported, complete and submit, by hand, a standard form entitled Textiles Notification : Request for Amendment - to Counter No. 3 of the Textiles Trader Registration Office on 1/F of the Trade Department. The document must be accompanied by the original of the Importer's Copy or Exporter's Copy of the notification.
- Registered textiles traders should complete their notifications properly and accurately before they are submitted. Approval of amendment requests is not automatic but is subject to the discretion of the Director-General of Trade. In some cases, such as changes to product descriptions and upward revision of quantities, amendment requests will not be entertained and the registered textiles trader will be required to apply for licences to retrospectively cover the consignments in question.
Warning
- The Trade Department takes a serious view on textiles traders breaching any of the conditions of exemption under the TTRS or committing an offence under the Import and Export Ordinance. Notifications which are not completed in accordance with the specifications made by the Director-General of Trade are considered invalid. Importing or exporting textiles without a valid notification or licence constitutes an offence under the Import and Export Ordinance and the trader concerned is liable on conviction to a fine of $500,000 and to imprisonment for two years. In addition, the Director-General of Trade may take administrative actions against a registered textiles trader independent and irrespective of any prosecution action which may be instituted against him. Such administrative actions may involve but shall not necessarily be confined to the revocation and suspension of any exemption and/or registration granted without refund of the registration fee and the refusal to renew any exemption and/or registration granted.
Enquiries
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Enquiries on the contents of this circular can be directed to :
| Counter/Officer |
Telephone |
Customer Services and Information Counter
(12/F, Trade Department Tower) |
2398 5472 |
| Mr K W Woo |
2398 5461 |
Yours faithfully,
(Miss Monita Wong)
for Director-General of Trade
Note 1 : THe EU comprises Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Note 2 : Only the Trade department's copy of the notification needs to be delivered.
To : All traders registered under the Textiles Trader Registration Scheme
cc : Shipping companies, airline companies, transportation companies and freight forwarder
Chinese translation of this Textiles Trader Registration Circular will be sent to traders separately.
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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. |
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