XN000022-1994-10-17 — Page 8

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1994

HK RECOGNISES IMPORTANCE OF LAB ACCREDITATION SYSTEMS

*

ม

THE

IMPORTANCE

OF LABORATORY

THE

QUALITY IF THEY SECRETARY FOR

HONG KONG

RECOGNISED FULLY ACCREDITATION SYSTEMS WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PRODUCERS OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES NEED ARE TO MEET THE RISING EXPECTATIONS OF CONSUMERS, THE TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR TH CHAU, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

KONG LABORATORY SINCE THEN, SERVICES

IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT THE HONG ACCREDITATION SCHEME (HOKLAS) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1985. HOKLAS HAS ACCREDITED MORE THAN 50 LABORATORIES, RANGING FROM TESTING THE CONSISTENCY OF CEMENT TO THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF GARMENTS.

OFFERING

MR CHAU WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE 13TH PLENARY MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABORATORY ACCREDITATION CONFERENCE (ILAC) AT THE

EXHIBITION CENTRE. AND HONG KONG CONVENTION OCCASION THAT HONG KONG HOSTED THIS EVENT.

THIS

IS

THE

FIRST

ECONOMIES,

MR CHAU SAID AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST TRADING

MERITS OF LABORATORY WAS AN ENTHUSIASTIC CONVERT TO THE KONG ACCREDITATION.

HONG

AND

CONFORMANCE

DEMAND THAT THE THAT ΤΟ

"CONSUMERS ALL OVER THE WORLD INCREASINGLY PRODUCTS THEY BUY MEET OBJECTIVE STANDARDS FOR QUALITY, WITH ALL THAT IMPLIES IN

PERFORMANCE TERMS OF SAFETY,

STANDARDS.

TURN

ARE DEMANDING

THIS TREND

THAT

THEIR

HAS CREATED

A

"BUYERS AND RETAILERS IN SUPPLIERS SHOULD BE QUALITY OPERATIONS. LARGE AND GROWING DEMAND FOR THE SERVICES OF ACCREDITED LABORATORIES.

IMPORTANCE OF GREATER

CO-

SAID IN

THE

THE

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNISING OPERATION IN THE AREA OF LABORATORY ACCREDITATION, MR CHAU SETTING UP ITS OWN SYSTEMS, HONG KONG BENEFITED CONSIDERABLY FROM EXPERIENCE OF LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEMES AROUND THE WORLD.

"OUR MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS ALSO BENEFIT DIRECTLY FROM

WE HAVE AGREEMENTS MUTUAL

THAT

NEGOTIATED RECOGNITION ACCREDITATION BODIES IN MANY OF OUR MAJOR MARKETS, AS THIS MEANS

RECOGNISED AS TESTS

IN CARRIED OUT

HONG KONG ARE AUTHORITIES IN THOSE COUNTRIES.

THE

WITH

THAT

VALID

BY

THE

MR CHAU SAID THE GLOBALISATION OF TRADE WOULD NEED FOR MORE INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION.

REINFORCE

THE

WHICH

WILL

ΤΟ TRADE, ORGANISATION IS

"FOR EXAMPLE, THE AGREEMENT ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS

COME

WORLD INTO FORCE WHEN THE

TRADE

TECHNICAL ESTABLISHED NEXT YEAR, WILL BIND SIGNATORIES TO ENSURE THAT

AND CERTIFICATION SPECIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS, AS WELL AS TESTING PROCEDURES, DO NOT CREATE UNNECESSARY OBSTACLES TO TRADE.

"THE

++

AGREEMENT ALSO STATES THAT ACCREDITATION SHALL INTO ACCOUNT AS AN INDICATION OF TECHNICAL COMPETENCE, AND THAT MUTUAL

IS OF

ASSESSMENT ARRANGEMENTS RECOGNITION

CONFORMITY ENCOURAGED, HE SAID.

BE TAKEN

TO BE

/ALREADY, REGIONAL