CIRCULAR 22 November 1998

Information from the Secretariat

1. DRAFT REPORT OF THE FIFTH APLMF MEETING AND WORKING GROUPS MEETINGS - SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
   
   Please find enclosed with this circular the draft report of the Forum and Working Groups meetings held in Seoul, Korea in October. If you wish to make any amendments, please send them to the Secretariat by 31 December.
   
2. RECORD OF APPRECIATION
   
   The Convenor would like to thank all delegates and observers for their valuable contribution at the Forum meetings.
   We would like to record our appreciation to Dr Myung-Sai Chung, President, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) for chairing the Forum and the Chairman for the various Working Groups meetings:
   
   
   • Mr John Birch AM, APLMF Convenor - Working Group on Mutual Recognition Arrangements and Intercomparison testing;
   • Mr John Barker, Senior Adviser, Trade Measurement, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, New Zealand - Working Group on Goods packed by measure;
   • Mr Rene Magnan, Program Adviser, Measurement Canada, Industry Canada - Working Group on Utility meters; and
   • Ms Kerry Marston, Regional Training Coordinator, National Standards Commission, Australia - Working Group on Rice moisture measurement and Training.
   
   
3. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MoU)
   
   An updated sixth draft of the Memorandum of Understanding is attached with the draft Report of the Forum. Please refer to Clause 15 of the Report which endorsed the sixth MoU and sets the timetable of dates as follows:
   
   
   
   • Any non-substantive (including editorial ) amendments to be notified by 31 December and considered by the Executive Committee.
   • Any substantive amendments i.e. on issues that could impede signing should be notified to the secretariat by 31 January and considered by the Executive Committee who will decide if a postal vote is necessary.
   • The Memorandum of Understanding will be finalised and circulated to all Member organisations by 1 July. The signed document is to be returned to the secretariat. The starting date for the Memorandum of Understanding will be when ten (10) economies have signed it.
   • If the Memorandum of Understanding is in force at the next Forum meeting, members who have not signed may attend as observers.
   
   All members are requested to discuss the MoU with the respective authorities in their economies and to send any comments to the Secretariat by the above mentioned dates.
   
4. COUNTRY REPORTS ON CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN LEGAL METROLOGY
   
   At the Forum meeting in Seoul, country reports on current developments in legal metrology were presented by all member economies. It is proposed that these reports be compiled and circulated to members for their information in order that they may keep abreast with up-dated information on legal metrology in economies in the region.
   
   The secretariat has copies of reports from the following economies: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong China, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam and USA. Members who have not sent their reports are requested to send them to the secretariat as soon as possible, preferably by 31 December.
   
5. TRAINING REPORT
   
   The training courses on Train the Trainer Module OIML R76 and Introductory Workshop on High Capacity Weighing were successfully held in Shanghai from 31 August - 10 October. These two courses were jointly organised and funded by the CSBTS and the National Standards Commission. Thirty participants from fifteen member economies and one economy outside the Region attended the OIML R76 course and twenty-four participants from fourteen member economies and one economy outside the Region attended the High Capacity Weighing course.
   
   A Train the Trainer Module on Verification of Non-automatic weighing instruments based on the requirements of OIML R76, is currently being developed by the National Standards Commission in collaboration with the Trade Measurement authority of New South Wales state.
   
   A detailed report of the training activities carried out during the year is included with this Circular.
   
6. LIST OF APLMF PUBLICATIONS, TRAINING COURSE MATERIAL AND NCS CERTIFICATES OF APPROVAL ON CD-ROM
   
   A number of publications, training course materials and survey reports have been produced by the APLMF since its establishment in 1994. Additionally, a CD-ROM with information on certificates of approval of measuring instruments, has been produced National Standards Commission.
   
   The resource materials are given in the list below and they are available to member economies on a complimentary basis. If you require any of the documents, please contact the secretariat.
   
   
   
   1. Directory of Legal Metrology in the Asia-Pacific - Second Edition 1998.
   2. Directory of Legal Metrology in the Indian Ocean - 1998
   3. NSC Certificates of approval of measuring instruments on CD-ROM.
      
      
      • Available in two volumes:
      • - Volume 1 - weighing instruments; and
      • - Volume 2 - flowmeters
      
      Each CD-ROM also includes all supplementary certificates, general certificates and other categories such as milk tanks, dimensional-measuring instruments, area-measuring instruments, spirit dispenses etc.
      
   4. Information Brochure on the Asia-Pacific Legal Metrology Forum.
   5. Reports of the Asia-Pacific Legal Metrology Forum meetings:
      • 5.1 Inaugural meeting, Sydney, Australia, 27-30 November 1994
      • 5.2 Second meeting, Beijing, People's Republic of China, 22 October 1995.
      • 5.3 Third meeting, Vancouver, Canada, 1-3 November 1996.
      • 5.4 Fourth meeting, Tsukuba, Japan, 22 September-3 October 1997
      • 5.5 Fifth meeting, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 25-27 October 1998
   6. Survey Report on Legal Metrology Technical Infrastructure Needs of Asia-Pacific developing economies, conducted by Dr Knut Birkeland in 1996.
   7. Training Modules
      • 7.1 Pattern Approval of Non-automatic Weighing Instruments comprising the following:
        • - Trainer's Manual
        • - Procedure Manual
        • - Student's Manual
        • - Training Video in the following languages: English, Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Thai, French and Bahasa Indonesia
      • 7.2 Introduction to High Capacity Weighing
   8. Survey reports by the APLMF (conducted in 1995)
      • 8.1 Legislative Harmonisation.
      • 8.2 Requirements for Pre-packed Articles.
      • 8.3 Training.
      • 8.4 Specialised Legal Metrology Testing Facilities in the Region and accessibility to these facilities.
      • 8.5 National Metrological Requirements for Utility Meters.
      • 8.6 Legal Metrology Industry Consultative Structures.