CIRCULAR 29 Information from the Secretariat

1. 7th APLMF AND WORKING GROUP MEETINGS, 2 - 4 OCTOBER 2000
   
   ASEAN SEMINAR, 5 - 6 OCTOBER 2000 TAIPEI, CHINESE TAIPEI
   
   This is to confirm that the 7th APLMF meeting and meetings of the Working Groups will be held in Taipei, Chinese Taipei, hosted by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), Ministry of Economic Affairs. John Birch visited Taipei in March and held discussions with the Director General of BSMI, Mr Chen Tso-Chen and the dates of the meetings/seminar as well as the venue have been finalised.
   
   The ASEAN seminar on legal metrology is proposed to be held in association with the APLMF meeting in Chinese Taipei. This seminar is a follow-up of the PTB co-sponsored with Thailand seminar held in Chiang Mai in November last year on the "Development of legal metrology in ASEAN countries" and combining the seminar with the Forum meeting this year will provide improved coordination between APLMF and ASEAN programs. The seminar is proposed to be held immediately following the APLMF meetings.
   
   The dates and venue are as follows:
   
   Dates: 2 - 4 October 2000 APLMF and Working Groups meetings
   5 - 6 October 2000 ASEAN Seminar on Legal Metrology
   Venue: The Grand Hotel Taipei,
   
   No. 1, Sec. 4, Chung Shan North Road, Taipei 104, Taiwan
   
   Phone: 2-2596 5565
   
   Fax: 2-2594 8243
   
   
2. ACCOMMODATION DETAILS AT THE GRAND HOTEL
   
   The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) has arranged special accommodation rates for delegates attending both the APLMF meetings and the ASEAN seminar. They are:
   
   Special Room Rates (including breakfast, service charge and tax)
   
   

   Room Type	Single	Twin
   Budget (no view)	NT$2,800	NT$3,200
   Deluxe (2-5 F's outside rooms)	NT$4,200	NT$4,600
   Grand Deluxe (6 - 9 F's outside rooms)	NT$4,800	NT$5,200
   Junior Suite (2 - 9 F's junior suites)	NT$7,000	NT$7,000
   Executive Suite (2 - 8 F's corner suites)	NT$10,000	NT$10,000
   (Note: F denotes Floors)	-	-

   
   At this stage, the BSMI has made block bookings for 50 rooms of which 35 are Budget rooms and 15 are Deluxe rooms. Details of booking procedures will be provided to delegates as soon as arrangements are made.
   
3. PRELIMINARY REGISTRATION OF DELEGATES
   
   In Circular 28, a preliminary registration form has been included for members to indicate participation at the 7th Forum. An additional form is enclosed for you to complete and return to the secretariat by 30 June 2000.
   
4. VISA REQUIREMENTS
   
   In the last Circular, an information sheet from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre, Sydney on visa requirements to Chinese Taipei was circulated. Delegates are also advised to check with the consulates in their respective economies if there are any particular requirements. Should an official invitation letter from the APLMF be required for visa application, please request from the Secretariat.
   
   
5. PAYMENT OF APLMF MEMBERSHIP FEES
   
   We have received feedback from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia where the APLMF fees are sent to, that some economies are having difficulties in transmitting their membership fees. An e-mail message advising on this issue was circulated on 10 April. Please be advised that in filling out the application form details, the following should be written:
   
   
   • The Beneficiary Bank:
   • Commonwealth Bank of Australia, 199 Cox's Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113 Australia
   • The Beneficiary OR Account Name:
   • National Standards Commission
   • Account Number: BSB (062281) 0085 0077
   • Payment description:
   • APLMF membership fees for ............... (name of economy)
   • The membership fee can be paid directly into the account above in equivalent Australian dollars. Please advise us when the transaction is made.
   • Additional information.
     • Seven economies have paid - Australia (Category 2), Indonesia (Category 1), Republic of Korea (Category 2), Malaysia (Category 1), New Zealand (Category 1), Papua New Guinea (Category 1), Chinese Taipei (Category 2),
       
     • Two economies have minor problems in transmission - Mongolia and Thailand; these are being sorted out;
       
     • The following economies have informed that they will be sending the payment soon - Canada, Singapore, USA .
       
     • Categories of Fees
     • Category 1 - one unit each = US$588.24 each
     • Chile, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
     • (Note: Includes Colombia in Category 1)
     • Category 2 - 2 units each = $US1176.48 each
     • Australia, Canada, People's Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Russia, Chinese Taipei
     • Category 3 - 4 units each = $US2352.96 each
     • Japan, USA
     
     
6. ELECTION OF PRESIDENT AND SECRETARIAT
   
   The Seventh Forum meeting will be electing a new President whose economy will also provide the Secretariat for the Forum, the cost of which will be partly funded by the Forum membership fees.
   
   As Australia has provided the President and Secretariat for the Forum since its establishment in November 1994 it is important for the viability of the Forum that another economy accepts this responsibility from 1 January 2001.
   
   The President would welcome receiving expressions of interest before the Forum meeting in October. The Secretariat can provide full details of the responsibilities of these positions. Details are also provided in the APLMF Memorandum of Understanding.
   
7. LOCATION OF THE 8TH FORUM IN 2001
   
   In the last Circular, the President invited members to consider hosting the 8th Forum meeting and would welcome any expressions of interest. Previous meetings have been held in Australia, PR China, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea and Indonesia.
   
8. QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY ON TAXIMETERS
   
   The secretariat has received a number of replies on the above questionnaire on taximeters and would appreciate if those members who have not done so to complete and return it to the secretariat as soon as possible.
   
9. APLMF TRAINING COURSES
   
   
   • 9.1 Non-automatic Weighing Instruments (OIML R76)
     The second train-the trainer module based on OIML R76 for the verification and inservice inspection in now complete with the video now being available in English, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Chinese (Mandarin), French and Spanish. If you would like to consider hosting or conducting a training course for your staff, contact Kerry Marston on email: kmarston@nsc.gov.au or fax 2 9888 3033 for more details.
     
   • 9.2 Fuel Dispensers (OIML R117 and 118)
     
     At a recent meeting by the TC for OIML117 a decision was taken to revise OIML R117. It is anticipated that this will be completed in 2001. As result it was decided to postpone the completion of the pattern approval section of this training course until the nature of the changes to be made are known. It is planned to have the pattern approval course ready to coincide with the release of the revised recommendation next year.
     
     The training course planned for latter the year in Shanghai has been expanded to cover the verification of both fuel dispensers and LPG dispensers. Application forms for this course will be sent out as soon as the dates have been finalised.
     
     
10. RICE MOISTURE MEASUREMENT
    
    The working group is planning to conduct a study tour to investigate the rice moisture measurement system of Japan. A funding application for the study tour was submitted to APEC through the Standards and Conformance Sub-committee (SCSC) in February. This application was strongly supported by the SCSC and has now gone to the next phase of the approval process and will be considered at the CTI in May.
    
    
11. WORKING GROUP ON MEDICAL MEASUREMENTS
    
    We are pleased to announce that Mr Chen Jay-San, the Deputy Director General of the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) has agreed to chair the Working Group on Medical Measurement and prepare a draft survey on sphygmomanometers. As you may already know, OIML has now finalised its Recommendation on sphygmomanometers and it is appropriate that APLMF survey member economies on the implementation of this recommendation.
    
    A background paper on this working group is attached.
    
    

WORKING GROUP ON MEDICAL MEASUREMENTS - project on sphygmomanometers

• BACKGROUND
  
  The Survey of Technical Infrastructure Needs of Legal Metrology in Developing Economies conducted by Dr Knut Birkeland in February-March 1996 has identified a number of priority needs to be implemented in the region. Among the many project proposals is one from Chinese Taipei on Pattern Approval and Verification of Non-invasive electronic Sphygmomanometers.
  
  At the third Forum meeting in Vancouver, Forum members endorsed the setting up of a Working Group on Medical Measurements (proposed by Chinese Taipei) and to initiate work on sphygmomanometers.
  
  
• SCOPE
  
  The importance of accuracy and reliability of medical measuring instruments has been recognised, and there is a need to ensure a high degree of confidence in their usage particularly where it involves the health and safety of the individual.
  
  At the international level, a Technical Committee on medical measuring instruments has been established by the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML) to prepare International Recommendations on such instruments and to promote their implementation and pattern approval.
  
  Sphygmomanometers (instruments for measuring blood pressure) are widely used for human medical care. Currently, there are two main types, namely mercury-in-glass sphygmomanometers and electronic ones. The Working Group will study the harmonisation, pattern approval and verification of electronic sphygmomanometers.
  
• OBJECTIVES
  
  To ensure the accuracy and reliability of medical measuring instruments in human medication and to promote harmonisation and pattern approval in the region.
  
• TARGET OUTCOMES
  
  The development of pattern approval and verification of medical measuring instruments, and as one of the priority projects, the development and pattern approval of sphygmomanometers in the region, to ensure confidence in the accuracy of medical measurements.
  
  Working Group members (questionnaire survey conducted in 1999)
  
  

  Member economy	Member
  1. Australia	Yen Heng
  2. PR China	Han JP
  3. Indonesia	Timan
  4. Mongolia	D. Oyun
  5. Russia	Prof Dr Tikhomirov SV
  6. Chinese Taipei Angela	MH Chang
  7. Thailand	Sakchai Hasamin
  8. USA	Dr. C Ehrlich