COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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Other Trade and Industrial Organisations
The local business community has a strong and well-established culture in forming trade and industrial associations to represent their interests. The Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce are among the oldest and the most influential trade and industrial associations in Hong Kong. There are also numerous other associations, representing specific sectors or interests. In addition, there are various overseas chambers of commerce representing the interests of businesses from, for example, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Federation of Hong Kong Industries is a statutory body established in 1960 to promote and foster the interests of Hong Kong's industrial and business communities. It has more than 3 000 member companies. Major services include the issuing of certificates of origin, organisation of overseas study missions, promotion and endorsement of products with the Hong Kong Quality Mark, and the provision of English Language Skills Assessment Tests. The federation categorises its members into 25 groups covering major industries and services. It also organises the annual Young Industrialist Awards of Hongkong and the consumer product design category of the Hong Kong Awards for Industry.
The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong (CMA), established in 1934, is a member of the International Chamber of Commerce and has a membership of nearly 3 700. Services provided include the issue of certificates of origin and the organisation of industrial and trade promotion activities. It runs the Testing and Certification Laboratories which provide technical back-up services, including materials, consumer product and environmental testing, pre-shipment inspection, and technical consultancy services. Since 1989, the CMA has been the organiser of the machinery and equipment design award category of the Hong Kong Awards for Industry.
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce is the oldest business association in Hong Kong. Founded in 1861, it has around 4 000 corporate members. It issues certificates of origin and is the local issuing authority for the International Association Temporarie Admission Carnets. It also organises trade missions. The chamber is represented on many official advisory committees/bodies. It founded both the Hong Kong Article Numbering Association and the Hong Kong Coalition of Service Industries. The chamber also sponsors the Hong Kong Committee of the Pacific Basin Economic Council.
Established in 1900, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce has over 6000 members. Services provided include issuing certificates of origin, providing Electronic Trading Access Service, organising trade delegations, and promoting business information exchange. The chamber maintains close contacts with trade organisations in the Mainland and world-wide.
Standards and Conformance Services
The Innovation and Technology Commission's services in the areas of metrology, documentary standards and accreditation provide the technical foundation for Hong Kong's standards and conformance infrastructure.
The Standards and Calibration Laboratory (SCL) is the official custodian of Hong Kong's physical measurement standards. It provides a comprehensive calibration