ENG-2004 — Page 179

Commerce and Industry 145

The association organises 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 and 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.

The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce has over 6 000 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 worldwide.

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 service traceable to the International System of Units (SI). The SCL is a signatory to the Global Mutual Recognition Arrangement for National Measurement Institutes and its services are internationally recognised and accepted.

The Product Standards Information Bureau (PSIB) offers a comprehensive range of standards information services. Apart from its reference standards library, which is open to the public, the PSIB also provides a free advisory service on standards, and a standards sales service. It is the Enquiry Point and Notification Authority for Hong Kong under the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade. The PSIB also coordinates Hong Kong's input to APEC on standards and conformance matters.

The Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS) provides a comprehensive range of accreditation services for conformity assessment bodies, including testing and calibration laboratories, certification and inspection bodies. In 2004, accreditation services were expanded to medical testing, and the HKAS signed the multilateral mutual recognition arrangement of the International Accreditation Forum. The HKAS is also a signatory to the Mutual Recognition Arrangements of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, Pacific Accreditation Cooperation and Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation. It has also concluded a bilateral Mutual Recognition Arrangement with the multilateral agreement group of the European Cooperation for Accreditation. As a result of these arrangements, the reports and certificates issued by HKAS-accredited organisations are recognised by over 55 accreditation bodies worldwide.