Customs News
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CUSTOMS NEWS 2010 June • Issue No.42 http://www.customs.gov.hk THE COMMISSIONER SPEAKS A recurrent theme of the Customs modern day customs has an News in recent years has been the increasingly important role to play changing role and transformation in facilitating trade and helping of customs service. In this issue, business. In many parts of the we carry a number of articles world, customs is no longer seen which highlight the new role and as an obstacle to trade but a responsibilities of the Hong Kong valuable partner of the business Customs service. community: business needs customs to maintain the safety The World Customs Organization and security of the international (WCO) has chosen the theme supply chain and enhance the intellectual property rights (IPRs) of “Customs and Business: efficient movement of goods enforcement and protection of Improving Performance through across borders; customs needs consumer interests, for example, Partnership” for this year’s the support and co-operation in recent years. The award of International Customs Day (ICD) of the business community to WCO Certificates of Merit was which was held on January 26. protect the community and only a small gesture to give Traditionally, WCO Certificates promote economic growth. recognition to those individuals of Merit are awarded to customs and organisations who have officials at the ICD to recognise Leveraging on our unique made valuable contributions to their distinguished service to advantage as a free port, Hong promoting and fostering the close customs. This year we saw for Kong Customs has been at the customs and business partnership the first time ever the award of forefront of building partnership that has been a hallmark of WCO Certificates of Merit to non- with the business sector. Regular Hong Kong’s success as an customs related individuals and dialogue with and knowing the international trade and logistics organisations in recognition of needs of our business operators centre. their contribution to promoting have enabled us to provide a co-operation between customs most customer friendly clearance and business. procedure for our trade and business. The success of this The choice of the ICD theme strong customs and business and the decision by the WCO partnership has been extended to award WCO Certificates to other customs activities with of Merit to outside individuals very good results. Without the and organisations this year strong support and co-operation is in response to the growing of the business sector, Hong Kong recognition that, instead of the would not have been able to make Richard Yuen traditional “tax collector” role, the big strides that it has made in Commissioner Commitment and Excellence 1 HK CUSTOMS CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS DAY Hong Kong Customs held a reception on January 26, 2010 to celebrate the 2010 International Customs Day (ICD). The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mrs Rita Lau, and the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Richard Yuen, officiated at the reception ceremony. The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mrs Rita Lau (seventh right), and the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Richard Yuen (sixth left), with the representatives of organisations and the Hong Kong Customs officers who are awarded the World Customs The theme of the 2010 ICD Organization Certificates of Merit for their significant contributions to promoting customs-business partnership. is “Customs and Business: Improving Performance Through Partnerships”. Echoing the Also speaking at the reception, At the reception, Mrs Lau theme, the World Customs Mr Yuen said this year’s ICD was presented the WCO Certificates Organization (WCO) Certificate different from previous celebration of Merit to the Consumer Council, of Merit was for the first time days. six business sector organisations awarded to business sector and three officers of the Hong representatives during the “The choice of the theme and Kong Customs in recognition of reception. the decision to award the WCO their notable contributions to the Certificates of Merit to outside implementation and enhancement Stressing the importance of a individuals and organisations of the “customs-business partnership between the Customs reflects a growing recognition partnership”. and business, Mrs Lau said Hong within and outside the Kong's success was due in no international Customs community About 350 guests, including small measure to its having an that Customs has an important Executive Council and Legislative efficient and business-friendly role to play not only in protecting Council members, government Customs service. public revenue and the security of officials, Consuls General, the borders but also in facilitating foreign Customs attaches, “We must continue to promote trade and promoting economic Customs representatives from the partnership between Customs and growth. It also represents Mainland and Macau and private business so that we appreciate recognition that through building sector stakeholders, joined the each other's concerns. Moreover, partnerships with the business celebration. by working together, we can community, we could achieve improve performance by possibly better Customs compliance lowering the need for Customs through less regulation, creating a inspection and reducing the cost win-win situation for all," Mr Yuen of doing business,” she said. said. Customs Liaison Bureau Commitment and Excellence Commitment and Excellence 2 3 CUSTOMS CONSUMER PROTECTION BUREAU COMBATS SHORT-WEIGHING ACTIVITIES WITH ASSISTANCE OF HK POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY One of the major responsibilities of that the electronic platform was Hong Kong Customs is to protect installed with a remote control consumer interests and to uphold device and adjusted with a a fair trade environment. The non-standard conversion unit. Customs Consumer Protection Unscrupulous scrap traders could Bureau of Trade Controls Branch easily change the readings by plays an important role in simply pressing the remote control enforcing relevant legislation. to make the weight of the scrap paper shown by the scales less The Bureau consists of three The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, than the actual weight by 10% to divisions: the Weights and Mr Richard Yuen (right), presents a souvenir to 38%. the President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic Measures Division, Consumer University, Professor Timothy Tong. Goods Safety Division, and With the support of HKPU’s A common trick is the use of Toys and Children’s Products advanced technology and inaccurate scales. In 2009, Safety Division, which enforce testimony from the university’s Customs officers found some the Weights and Measures experts, about 30 unscrupulous unscrupulous scrap traders using Ordinance, the Consumer Goods scrap traders were prosecuted by manipulated electronic platform Safety Ordinance and the Toys Hong Kong Customs for infringing scales. They adjusted the scales and Children’s Products Safety the Weights and Measures by using the remote control during Ordinance respectively. Ordinance and the platform scales transactions. involved were confiscated in Customs officers of the Weights 2009. At the beginning, the officers and Measures Division tackle found it quite difficult to short-weighing activities by In appreciation of HKPU’s differentiate which scales had carrying out spot checks and contribution to helping Hong Kong been modified. By posing as investigations to ensure that Customs to protect consumer scrap vendors, the officers traders use accurate weighing rights, the Commissioner of identified targets with intelligence equipment for trade and sell Customs and Excise, Mr Richard and also information from goods by weight, number or Yuen, together with the Head of complaint cases. In a series measure fairly. of operations, a batch of suspected During spot checks and dubious scales was investigations of complaint cases, seized. the officers found that some unscrupulous traders employed The seized scales tricks, such as using inaccurate were then sent for weighing equipment, blocking examination by customers from seeing the scales, the Department weighing the goods quickly so of Electrical that customers could hardly see Engineering of Hong the indicator of the scale, and Kong Polytechnic mixing sub-standard products University (HKPU). Head of Department of Electrical Engineering of HKPU, Professor with good ones. Ho Siu-lau (left), demonstrates the examination of a manipulated Results showed electronic platform scale to Mr Yuen (second left), and other members from the Trade Controls Branch. Commitment and Excellence Commitment and Excellence 3 the university's expertise and At the laboratory of the technology. Department of Electrical Engineering, Professor The delegation was received by Ho demonstrated to the the President of HKPU, Professor delegation their latest projects, Timothy Tong, Vice President such as Smart Railway (Academic Development), Condition Monitoring System, The manipulated electronic platform scales seized from scrap traders. Professor Suleyman Demokan, Environmentally Friendly Electric Associate Vice President, Vehicle and High Efficiency Trade Controls, Mr Cheung Sai- Professor Alex Wai, and Head Induction Cooker. yin, and other members from the of the Department of Electrical Trade Controls Branch, paid a Engineering, Professor Ho Siu- visit to the university’s Department lau. Professor Tong briefed the of Electrical Engineering on delegation on the latest research December 3, 2009 to see how