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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

Ref : EIC 111/2 EIC 111/4

20 January 2001

Dear Sirs,

 

Commercial Information Circular No. 21/2001

Notice to Exporters : Series 1 (USA) No. 8/01

USA :
Amendment to Fur Products Labeling Act
Pursuant to the Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000

The US has recently passed the Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000 (the Act). Following is a gist of major provisions of the Act which may be of interests to the trade:
 

    1. It is illegal to import, export, manufacture, sell, advertise, transport, or distribute in the US any dog or cat fur products, except for non-commercial purposes. Violations may result in imposition of civil penalties ranging from US$3,000 to US$10,000 for each separate violation; forfeiture of the illegal products; and debarment from importing, exporting, manufacturing, selling, transporting or distributing any fur product in the US.

    2. The Secretary of the Treasury shall, at least once a year, publish in the Federal Register (FR) names of violators against whom a final administrative determination of a civil penalty has been issued for a knowing and intentional or a grossly negligent violation.

    3. A process is provided for by which domestic or foreign testing laboratories can qualify for certification by the US Customs Service for reliability in determining the type of fur contained in products.

    4. The Act amends the Fur Products Labeling Act (FPLA) to exclude dog or cat fur products from items that may be exempted from FPLA requirements because they contain small amount of fur.
  1.  
  2. In conformity with the foregoing Dog and Cat Protection Act, the Federal Trade Commission has amended the Rules and Regulations under the FPLA. The amended Rules, which make clear that exemption from the FPLA does not apply to dog and cat fur products, will take effect from 29 January 2001. A copy of the relevant FR notice is attached for reference.

 

ENQUIRIES

  1. Enquiries regarding the content of this circular can be made at telephone number 2398 5403.

 

 

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Winnie SHEH)

 

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

 

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.