XN000022-1990-10-17 — Page 27

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1990

NATIONAL TECHNICAL BARRIERS

ON PRODUCTS IN EUROPEAN COMMUNITY TO VANISH BY 1992

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NATIONAL TECHNICAL BARRIERS ON THE CIRCULATION OF PRODUCTS WITHIN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY WILL BE PROGRESSIVELY ELIMINATED AS THE SINGLE MARKET IS COMPLETED BY 1992, THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR T.H. BARMA, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

AND

SPEAKING AT A LUNCH MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON GOLDEN MILE, MR BARMA SAID A COMMON SET OF STANDARDS WOULD EMERGE ULTIMATELY A PRODUCT WHICH COULD BE SOLD IN ONE MEMBER STATE OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE FREELY MARKETABLE IN ALL OTHER MEMBER STATES.

AT PRESENT, HE SAID, MEMBER STATES OF THE COMMUNITY, LIKE OTHER COUNTRIES, HAD THEIR OWN QUALITY AND SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR GOODS SOLD IN THEIR HOME MARKET.

"THESE NATIONAL REQUIREMENTS HAVE FRAGMENTED THE MARKET AND ADDED TO COSTS BY FORCING PRODUCERS TO MODIFY THEIR PRODUCTS AND SUBJECT THEM TO DIFFERENT NATIONAL TESTING AND CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES, HE SAID.

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MR BARMA SAID THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT HAD IN RECENT YEARS FOUND THAT AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT PART OF ITS WORK WAS PROMOTING THE WIDER APPLICATION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

"IT IS CLEAR THAT THE INFLUENCE OF OUR MAJOR OVERSEAS MARKETS ON HONG KONG'S PROGRESS INTO QUALITY ASSURED MANUFACTURING WILL BB PROFOUND.

"AFFLUENT MARKETS WILL BE DEMANDING HIGHER QUALITY PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. THE PRICE OF A PRODUCT WILL CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT, BUT ITS QUALITY WILL BE THE DETERMINING FACTOR IN ITS ACCEPTABILITY IN THE MARKET PLACE,' HE SAID.

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MR BARMA SAID OVERSEAS BUYERS ENGAGED TO SOURCE GOODS BY MAJOR IMPORTERS WOULD INCREASINGLY DEMAND THAT COMPANIES BE "PRE-QUALIFIED" AS ISO 9000 REGISTERED ENTERPRISES.

EUROPIAN MARKET LIKELY TO BK INCLUDING THB

COMPANIES PRODUCING GOODS DESTINED FOR THE WOULD BE THE FIRST TO BE AFFECTED, BUT THERE WERE ALSO SIMILAR DEMANDS FROM VARIOUS SECTORS OF OTHER MARKETS, USA, AS THE IMPORTANCE OF ISO 9000 BECAME MORE APPARENT.

HE SAID HONG KONG COMPANIES WHICH SUCCESSFULLY MET THE QUALITY CHALLENGE AND ADOPTED A COMPREHENSIVE QUALITY POLICY SHOULD REACH THE STANDARD NECESSARY FOR COMPLIANCE WITH ISO 9000, AND ВЕ WELL PLACED TO PURSUE A CONTINUING QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME.

/"OF COURSE