CIRCULAR 16 January 1998

1. REPORT OF THE FOURTH APLMF MEETING, WORKING PARTIES MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS
   
   The above Report has been finalised and a copy is enclosed for your information. Comments were received from Mr Dai Runsheng, PR China, Dr H Imai, Japan and Mr J Barker, New Zealand and amendments were made to the Report accordingly.
   
   We wish to draw the attention of members to the Work Plan 1997/98 agreed to at the Forum meeting (page 18 of the Report) and would appreciate proposals/suggestions from members on the range of programs and activities to be implemented during the year.
   
2. WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS
   
   Members agreed at the fourth Forum meeting in Tsukuba to invite the economies of DPR Korea, Lao DPR and Peru (Resolution 24, page 21) to join the APLMF. The Secretariat is pleased to inform members that Lao DPR and Peru have accepted the invitation to join the Forum and would also be providing information on their national legal metrology system for inclusion in the Handbook of Legal Metrology. However, DPR Korea has yet to reply to the Secretariat.
   
   On behalf of the Forum membership, we would like to extend a warm welcome to the two members from Lao PDR and Peru and look forward to their participation in Forum activities. The details of the new members are as follows:
   
   
   • LAO PDR
     
     
   • Mr Somchit Inthamith, Director General
   • Department of Economic Cooperation with ASEAN
   • Ministry of Commerce, Vientiane, LAO PDR
   • Tel: 856 21-412 016; Fax: 856-21-412 434
     
   • PERU
     
     
   • Mr Jose Dajes Castro, Chief, National Metrology Service,
   • Instituto Nacional de Defensa da la Competencia y de la Proteccion de la Propiedad Intelectual, INDECOPI,
   • Prolong. Guardia Civil No 400, Esq. con Av. Canada, San Borja, Lima 41, PERU
   • Tel: 51-14-224-7800; Fax: 51-14-224-0348
   
   
3. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MoU)
   
   The Secretariat would appreciate receiving any comments on the fourth draft of the above MoU which was sent out with Circular 15 in November last year. Comments were received from Mr John Barker, New Zealand, a copy of which is enclosed with this Circular for information of members.
   
   The Secretariat would appreciate receiving any comments on the MoU by 31 March 1998, in order that the MoU can be finalized before the next Forum meeting.
   
4. RICE MOISTURE MEASUREMENT
   
   This issue was discussed at the Forum meeting in Tsukuba with delegates from Thailand and Vietnam emphasing its importance. It was agreed to establish a Working Group on this issue.
   
   The Secretariat has been gathering material on this issue with strong support from Mr Athane, Director of BIML.
   
   The OIML Recommendation, IR 59 on Moisture Meters for Cereal Grains and Oilseeds is applicable to rice moisture measurements.
   
   ISO/TC 34/SC 4 which covers Agricultural Food Products/Cereals and Pulses met in Chiengmai, Thailand on 13 - 16 January 1998 and one item for discussion was ISO/CD 7700-1 on Check of the Calibration of Moisture Meters - Part 1 Moisture Meters for Cereals.
   
   The Secretariat is currently considering two issues:
   
   • - The technological capability of existing field instruments; and
   • - Systems needed for pattern approval, verification and reverification to ensure consistent field measurements.
   A survey form will be circulated soon to all Forum members on this issue.
   
5. APLMF TRAINING
   
   At the last APLMF Forum Meeting in Tsukuba, a number of training initiatives were included in the work program for 1998. These initiatives are all currently being addressed in the following ways:
   
   • 5.1 Verification and Reverification of Non-automatic Weighing Instruments.
     Work on the module is well under way and will consist of a trainer's manual, procedure manual, student's manual, and a training video. The Module will be developed in Australia where it will be workshopped to assess its suitability.
     
     It is proposed to trial it in a Forum economy in mid-year with the first Train the Trainer workshop in November of this year.
     
     The venue for this workshop is still to be decided.
     
   • 5.2 Implementation of OIML R76
     This course was trialed in conjunction with the APLMF Meeting in Tsukuba last year. As a result the course has been adjusted to take into account the comments made about the course.
     
     It is planned to run the first Train the Trainer workshop on the implementation of OIML R76 in Shanghai, PR of China from 3 -10 September. An application for funding to support the attendance of trainees at the workshop has been submitted to the APEC Partners for Progress scheme.
     
     The course will be very practical with each participant having access to a non- automatic weighing instrument and a set of certified masses to conduct the testing procedures themselves. As well as this they will be given instructions and practice on how to conduct their own training courses in their own economy. Each participant will receive the full training module which includes the trainer's manual, first edition of the procedure manual and the training video.
     
   • 5.3 Introduction to High Capacity Weighing
     It is planned to hold this workshop in conjunction with the workshop on the Implementation of OIML R76 in Shanghai, PR of China from 31 August - 2 September. The content of the course will cover automatic rail-weighbridges as per OIML R106, totalizing hopper weighers as per OIML R107, and belt weighers as per OIML R50.
     
   • 5.4 Translation of the OIML R76 in Languages other than English
     The video is currently available in Bahasa Indonesian and Spanish. Measurement Canada is currently translating the video into French. Enquiries are being made to translate the video into Chinese and Russian.
     
   
   
6. INTERIM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
   
   As members would recall, amongst one of the important issues discussed at the fourth Forum was the formation of an interim Executive Committee (Exco) to facilitate the smooth function of the APLMF programs and activities. The interim Exco comprises the following members namely Mr Alan Johnston, President of Measurement Canada, Dr Hidetaka Imai, Director-General NRLM and Dr Mohd. Ariffin Aton, President SIRIM, Malaysia.
   
   If there are any issues that you believe should be discussed by the Executive Committee, please send details to the Forum Secretariat.
   
7. 33rd CIML MEETING AND FIFTH APLMF MEETING
   
   This is to inform members that the 33rd CIML meeting and other OIML meetings are scheduled on 26 - 30 October 1998 in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
   
   As agreed to at the last Forum meeting, the APLMF will be holding the fifth Forum meeting and Working Groups meetings in association with the CIML meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The exact dates of the Forum will be decided later, but it would be held either or immediately before or after the CIML meeting.