CIRCULAR 18 April 1998

Information from the Secretariat

1. FIFTH APLMF MEETING - SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
   
   
   
   
   • 1.1 The fifth meeting of the APLMF will be held on 25 - 27 October 1998 at the Seoul Plaza Hotel, Seoul, Republic of Korea, hosted by the Korean National Institute of Technology and Technology (KNITQ). It is also proposed to hold meetings of the Working Groups on Mutual recognition arrangements, Goods packed by measure, Intercomparison testing, Rice moisture measurement, Utility meters and Training in association with the Forum meeting. The KNITQ will also host the 33rd CIML meeting from 27 - 29 October 1998 at the same venue.
     
     
   • 1.2 The Secretariat has received confirmation on the dates of the meeting from Mr Yoo-Jin Koh, the Director of the KNITQ. We are liaising with KNITQ on the organisation of the Forum meeting, and details on the arrangements will be circulated to members as soon as they become available.
     
   • 1.3 A draft agenda will be circulated in the next few weeks. If members would like to have any particular matters for discussion to be included in the agenda, please inform the Secretariat.
     
   • 1.4 To assist the Secretariat in the preparation of the Forum meetings, members are requested to complete and return the attached questionnaire to indicate their attendance at the meetings.
   
   
   The Secretariat is also seeking financial assistance from funding agencies to support the attendance of one member each from the following economies viz. Chile, PR China, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Funding will cover the cost of a return economy ticket, accommodation and some allowance. Please indicate if funding assistance is required
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2. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MoU)
   
   We have received a number of comments on the fourth MoU from the following economies, namely, New Zealand, Republic of China, Hong Kong China, Korea, Canada. Copies of the comments are attached for information of all members.
   
   As you would recall, (Resolution 23 of the Report of the fourth APLMF) it is expected that a finalised MoU would be tabled at the fifth meeting for signing by members. The Secretariat will prepare the fifth draft of the MoU for circulation.
   
3. MoU OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC METROLOGY PROGRAMME (APMP)
   
   The APMP recently held its thirteenth Committee Meeting in Sydney on 1 - 2 December 1997 and one of the topics of particular interest to the APLMF was the discussion on the APMP MoU.
   
   The APMP Committee is currently making a number of amendments to their MoU. Some of the issues discussed are the issues currently addressed by the APLMF and we have enclosed extracts of the APMP Report for your information.
   
   The following pages have been attached:
   
   Page 18 (& 19) -Action 18: The APMP Secretariat to prepare a paper discussing the term of office of the Regional Coordinator and possible appointment of an APMP Executive Committee.
   
   Page 20 (& 21)- Amendment 5: The setting up of an APMP Executive Committee.
   
4. WORK PROGRAM OF THE APLMF 1997/98
   
   We refer to the work program on page 18 of the Report of the Fourth Forum and would like to request information from members of any follow-up action that has been undertaken by members.
   
5. RICE MOISTURE MEASUREMENT
   
   In Circular 17, the Secretariat informed members on the need to study the issues on the technological capability of existing field instruments and the systems needed for pattern approval, verification and reverification to ensure consistent field measurements. The Secretariat is awaiting additional information on this before sending out the survey questionnaire and we would welcome any other information from members.
   
6. APLMF TRAINING
   
   In Circulars 16 and 17, the Secretariat reported on the three training courses being planned, namely:
   
   • -Verification and Reverification of Non-automatic Weighing Instruments;
   • -Implementation of OIML R76; and
   • -Introduction to High Capacity Weighing.
   
   The planning on the Verification and Reverification of non-automatic weighing instruments is progressing well. However, the dates for the proposed trialing of this training course has not yet been scheduled.
   
   The organisation of the training courses on Implementation of OIML R76 and Introduction to High Capacity Weighing to be held in Shanghai, is progressing according to schedule. A number of the Application Forms (to indicate attendance at the training courses), which were circulated to members with Circular 17, have been returned and todate we have received responses from the following economies that will attend: Republic of China, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand and USA.
   
   We would appreciate receiving replies from those member economies who have not responded.
   
   Further information on these training courses, including the issue of funding for attendance of participants, will be circulated in due course.
   
7. APEC SCSC: STANDARDS & CONFORMANCE CONFERENCE
   
   Malaysia, the APEC SCSC Chairman for 1998, has announced the hosting of the second Standards & Conformance Conference on 1 - 2 September 1998 (tentative).
   
   The theme of the Conference is "Standards & Conformance - Towards the 21st Century" and the proposed programme for the Conference consists of four sections to focus on:
   
   
   • Section 1 - Current APEC Initiatives
     
     This section is aimed at providing participants various views and insights into issues confronting APEC with regards to initiatives taken on standards alignment, mutual recognition arrangements, transparency and infrastructure development.
     
   • Section 2 - International Development on Standards
     
     This section has the objective of providing participants an international perspective of current trends and issues on standards. As is noted that information technology is having a major impact on standardization, appropriate focus will be on issues related to this.
     
   • Section 3 - Mutual Recognition and Conformance
     
     The focus of this section is to discuss issues related to plans in place in APEC to removing trade barriers through mutual recognition arrangements and lessons learnt from initial attempts.
     
   • Section 4 - Measurements
     
     This section will focus on measurement (metrology). APMP (Asia-Pacific Metrology Programme) is being invited to co-ordinate and determine the contents of this section.
     
     Member economies are requested to bring relevant issues to the attention of their member representative to the APEC SCSC for discussion at the SCSC conference or meeting
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8. SEMINAR "THE ROLE OF METROLOGY IN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT"
   
   The importance of development of metrological infrastructures on the national, regional and international levels will be addressed at a seminar to be held at the PTB, (Physikalisch-Technisch-Bundesanstalt), Braunschweig, Federal Republic of Germany on 15 - 19 June 1998. Three other organisations, namely the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) of the Metre Convention, The International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML), and the International Measurement Confederation (IMEKO) especially its Technical committee 11, Metrological Infrastructures, are also involved in the organisation of the seminar.
   
   The objectives of the seminar are:
   
   • - to highlight the role of measurements and the operation of metrology systems and their benefits to industry, commerce and society;
   • - to inform about the necessity of national metrology services and of regional and international cooperation to assure world-wide traceability;
   • - to recommend actions for a consistent and effective approach to the development of metrological infrastructure based on national and regional requirements.
   
   The Convenor, Mr John Birch will attend the seminar and present a paper and it is expected that the APLMF will participate in the poster exhibition to highlight the role of the APLMF in the development of legal metrology in the Asia-Pacific region.
   
9. DIRECTORY OF LEGAL METROLOGY IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC - SECOND EDITION
   
   The second edition of the Directory if ready to be printed. If there are any more additions/deletions/amendments, please send them to the Secretariat by 30 April 1998. Todate, we have entries from twenty one economies, namely:
   
   Australia, Canada, Chile, People's Republic of China, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States of America, Vietnam. (Lao PDR has indicated that a copy would be provided).
   
   
10. NEWS ITEMS FROM MEMBER ECONOMIES FOR THE CIRCULARS
    
    The Secretariat would like to urge member economies to provide any news items on developments in legal metrology in their economies to the Secretariat for publication in the Circulars for information of other members. News items relating funding, new equipment, pattern approval, development of legislative and administrative structures and others are most welcome.