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The Government intends to update the safety standards currently stipulated in the Toys and Children's Products Safety Ordinance (Cap. 424) and is seeking comments from the trade.
The Toys and Children's Products Safety Ordinance stipulates that no person shall manufacture, import or supply a toy or any designated children's product unless it complies in all respects with the safety standards stipulated in the Ordinance. The standards are either international standards or standards adopted in major economies. A multiple-standard regime is adopted where a manufacturer, importer or supplier can comply with the ordinance if the toy or children's product meets any one set of the relevant standards. This regime recognises the relatively small size of the Hong Kong market without prejudicing the protection given to children, users of the products.
As the relevant standards institutes have updated the safety standards, those stipulated in the ordinance need to be amended accordingly. The Government proposes to amend the ordinance for the purpose and is consulting the trade.
Apart from updating, the Government also proposes other amendments, details of which are stated in the information note available on the website of the Commerce, Industry and Tourism Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau at (www.cedb.gov.hk/citb).
Interested members of the public are welcome to send their views on the proposed amendments in writing to the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau at Level 29, One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong or by email to tcpso_amend@cedb.gov.hk, by September 23.
Ends/Thursday, September 3, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:18
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