TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1993
"TO FACILITATE ACCESS OF OUR EXPORTS TO WORLD MARKETS, IMPORTANT THAT OVERSEAS BUYERS AND REGULATORY AUTHORITIES CONFIDENCE IN THE TECHNICAL COMPETENCE OF OUR LABORATORIES.
IT IS HAVE
WITH
"THE AIM OF CONCLUDING MUTUAL RECOGNITION AGREEMENTS OTHER ACCREDITATION SCHEMES IS TO ACHIEVE JUST THAT, HE SAID.
UNDER THE AGREEMENT SIGNED TODAY, TEST REPORTS ISSUED BY HOKLAS-ACCREDITED LABORATORIES WILL BE ACCEPTED AS EQUIVALENT TO TEST REPORTS ISSUED BY LABORATORIES ACCREDITED BY STERLAB.
MR FUNG SAID THIS WOULD MEAN THAT HONG KONG'S EXPORTS TO THE NETHERLANDS MIGHT BE TESTED IN HONG KONG AND ACCEPTED WITHOUT BEING RE-TESTED WHEN THEY REACHED THEIR DESTINATION,
"IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THE SAME WOULD BE TRUE FOR EXPORTS FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO HONG KONG.
"BY REDUCING THE NEED FOR RE-TESTING, EXPORTS WILL NOT BE HELD UP AT THE PORTS OF ENTRY AND HENCE TRADE WILL BE FACILITATED, " HE SAID.
TRADE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE NETHERLANDS HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY IN RECENT YEARS. HONG KONG'S TOTAL EXPORTS TO THE NETHERLANDS GREW BY 15 PER CENT IN 1991 AND BY ANOTHER 17 PER CENT то US$1,879 MILLION IN 1992.
IMPORTS GREW BY 17 PER CENT IN 1991 AND BY ANOTHER 63 PER CENT TO US$1,245 MILLION IN THE SAME PERIOD IN 1992.
COMMITMENT
"THE AGREEMENT IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT FOR TRADE BETWEEN THE NETHERLANDS AND HONG KONG, IT IS ALSO AN INDICATION OF OUR TO THE PROMOTION OF FREE TRADE, MR PUNG SAID.
"
MR FUNG NOTED THAT STERLAB WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ACCREDITATION SCHEMES TO HAVE CONCLUDED AN AGREEMENT
OUTSIDE EUROPE.
WITH
EUROPEAN
A SCHEME
"WE HOPE THAT THIS WILL LEAD то THE OPENING OF THE MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT GROUP FORMED BY MEMBERS OF THE WESTERN EUROPEAN LABORATORY ACCREDITATION CO-OPERATION ΤΟ PARTICIPATION BY SCHEME OUTSIDE EUROPE," HE SAID.
ALSO SPEAKING AT THE CEREMONY, DR LEFERINK SAID THE AGREEMENT WAS THE RESULT OF HARD AND CONSCIENTIOUS WORK.
"MANY DAYS HAVE BEEN SPENT EVALUATING EACH OTHER'S OPERATIONS, MANY DAYS HAVE BEEN SPENT IN OBSERVING LABORATORY ASSESSMENTS AND CRITICAL REMARKS WERE MADE LEADING ΤΟ CORRECTIONS IN BOTH ORGANISATIONS," HE SAID.
T
"NOW WE CAN REALLY APPRECIATE EACH OTHER'S OPERATIONS AND WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE ACCREDITATION ISSUED IN BACH COUNTRY, HE ADDED.
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