CIRCULAR 8 May 1996

1. SURVEY ON LEGAL METROLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE IN ASIA-PACIFIC DEVELOPING ECONOMIES
   
   
   • 1.1 Following on from the information in Circular 7 where we informed APLMF members of the APEC Standards & Conformance Sub-Committee (SCSC) meeting in Manila in February, we would like to inform members of the next SCSC meeting in Cebu, Philippines on 15-16 May 1996.
     
   • 1.2 At this meeting the draft Technical Infrastructure Development Program will be among one of the items on the agenda. The survey of legal metrology infrastructure needs of Asia-Pacific developing economies was completed on 25 March and the consultant Dr Birkeland is analysing the results of the survey and preparing his final report. However Dr Birkeland discussed the survey with me when he visited Sydney in March and has identified a number of high priority needs. The following proposals have been forwarded for consideration to the SCSC meeting in Cebu:
     
   
   
   • LEGISLATION
     
     Most of the economies surveyed were revising their legal metrology legislation in response to changing industry and community needs, technological development and the expanding scope of legal metrology. It was recognised that this amended legislation needed to be internationally/regionally harmonised to ensure there was not an impediment to mutual recognition.
     
     Dr Birkeland has recommended that one (or two) workshops be held on legislative development, topics to be covered could include:
     
     
   • role of legal metrology in economic and social development and international trade;
   • identification of national interest in the national measurement system and the role of government;
   • appropriate areas for cost recovery and/or privatisation of metrological activities;
   • trade measurement requirement for prepacked articles;
   • legislative requirements for traceability of physical measurements including analytical chemistry;
   • metrological control of utility meters (eg. gas, water, electricity, telephone);
   • certification and metrological control of legal measuring instruments (eg. radar speed devices, breathalysers, grain moisture meters, automobile emission, medical measuring instruments);
   • relationship of measurement legislation to other regulatory legislation;
   • legislative harmonisation in support of mutual recognition.
   
   
   • ADMINISTRATION
     
     Modern metrology legislation will need to be supported by an appropriate administrative structure if the full economic benefits of the national measurement system are to be achieved. A number of the economies surveyed had proposals for new administrative structures developed by consultants employed by development assistance organisations. Generally these proposals had been too complex to be implemented.
     
     The administrative structures should be developed in-country by the national authority but again a workshop that would define the key issues would be of great value to the economies. Issues to be considered by the workshop would include:
     
     
     • development of a national system of approval of measuring instruments using local and/or overseas test results;
     • development of a national system of standards calibration laboratories;
     • verification of production instruments prior to installation and use;
     • reverification system for legal measuring instruments;
     • independent third party accreditation of pattern approval verification and reverification laboratories;
     • sampling plans for inspection of legal measuring instruments and prepackaged goods.
     
     
   • CALIBRATION AND TEST FACILITIES
     
     There is a considerable need to enhance the existing calibration and test facilities in developing economies in the region. This will be dealt with in greater detail in the final report. One problem that Dr Birkeland identified as a priority area is the development of field instruments for the measurement of moisture in grain and rice. The US National Conference of Weights and Measures has been actively involved in developing requirements for grain moisture meters and will be approached for their recommendations on this issue.
     
     
   • TRAINING
     
     Training is a major need for all developing economies particularly for the pattern approval and verification of electronic instruments. Dr Birkeland saw the major needs as being in:
     
     
     • fluid flowmeters (dynamic measurements);
     • automatic weighing instruments.
       
       
     Both of these areas are important for international trade but many economies have limited practical experience in these measurements. Currently officials in many economies are limited to witnessing measurements conducted by commercial firms, but lack the experience to be able to confirm the accuracy of the measurements.
     
     There would be value in organising seminars/workshops on:
     • fluid flow measurement; and
     • automatic weighing instruments.
     each of five days duration to be held in Forum member economies with the appropriate expertise.
     
     
   • 1.3 We have sent letters on the above recommendations to the nine economies surveyed, for their information and comments, which are expected by 15 May 1996. We would also welcome comments from members on the above recommendations.
     
     
2. THIRD ASIA-PACIFIC LEGAL METROLOGY FORUM - 3 NOVEMBER 1996 (SUNDAY), VANCOUVER, CANADA
   
   The third APLMF Forum will be held on 3 November (Sunday) in Vancouver, Canada, in conjunction with the tenth International Conference on Legal Metrology and the Development Council Meeting. The Forum as well as the Conference on Legal Metrology and Council meeting will be hosted by the Legal Metrology Branch, Industry Canada.
   
   An enquiry letter is enclosed with this circular, on the participation and number of delegates/observers from your organisation to the third APLMF Forum on 3 November and the possibility/necessity of holding Working Party meetings in Vancouver, on 1 November, immediately prior to the Forum meeting. I would appreciate it if members return the attached form to the Secretariat by 30 June 1996.
   
   
3. FORUM SURVEYS
   
   The Secretariat is finalising details for the following surveys, which were agreed to at the Beijing Forum meeting, to member economies soon. These are:
   • Survey on Specialised Legal Metrology Test Facilities and accessibility to these facilities;
   • Survey on National Metrological Requirements for Utility Meters; and
   • Survey on Legal Metrology Industry Consultative Structures.
   
   
4. 1st APEC CONFERENCE ON STANDARDS & CONFORMANCE
   
   
   • 4.1 The Conference titled "The Need For Standards & Conformance in the Asia-Pacific" will be held on Sep 30 - Oct 1, 1996 at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Manila, Philippines. It is organised by the Asia-Pacific Metrology Program (APMP), and the Industrial Technology Development Institute, ITDI, Philippines, and sponsored by APEC, the governments of Australia, New Zealand and Philippines. The APMP Secretariat has prepared a brochure to publicise the conference and highlight the importance and benefits of standards and conformance. The main objective of the conference is to ensure a consistent approach to technical infrastructure development within the region, and would undoubtedly be highly relevant to all economies in the region.
     
     
   • 4.2 A copy of the conference brochure has been enclosed with this circular and we would urge all members to support the conference.
     For more information on the conference, please contact:
     
   • APMP Secretariat, CSIRO Division of Applied Physics,
   • PO Box 218, Lindfield NSW 2070, Australia.
   • Phone: +61 2 413 7788: Fax: +61 2 413 7383