In recent years, the flow of commodities across borders is often obstructed due to the need to comply with different technical regulations or conformity assessment procedures adopted by different countries. In order to reduce the impact these measures would impose on trade and to prevent repeated inspection, the BSMI actively seeks cooperation with renowned testing and certification bodies of other countries. Via such cooperation, the BSMI hopes to assist domestic manufacturers in obtaining product certification marks of the importing countries and to enhance the testing capabilities of the BSMI.
In view of this, the BSMI promoted its international cooperation program at both bilateral and multilateral levels. Bilaterally, the BSMI has concluded cooperation arrangements with 30 organizations of 23 countries. With regard to the mandatory sector, the BSMI is responsible for the full implementation of the Mutual Recognition Agreement on EMC Inspection with the U. S. A., Canada and Australia.
Multilaterally, the BSMI became an associate member of the General Conference of Weights and Measures and signed the Mutual Recognition Arrangement of the International Committee of Weights and Measures on June 4, 2002. This demonstrates to the whole world that our national measurement standards and certificates issued by our National Metrology Institutes are on an equal footing with those of other countries. In addition, the BSMI participates actively in regional and international organizations, such as APEC, OIML and the WTO, on issues related to standardization, metrology and conformity assessment systems. The BSMI acts as the national enquiry point under the Agreement on Technical Barrier to Trade of the WTO. It coordinates domestic opinions and presents our positions on issues under discussion at the TBT meetings to pursue the utmost benefits of our country.
The following certification organizations have signed cooperative agreements or Memorandum of Understanding with the BSMI.
1.DQS German Management Systems Registrar Quality and Environmental Management (ISO 9000 and 14001)
2. The Swedish Institute for Testing and Certification of Electrical Equipment (Swedish Safety Mark)
3. The British Standards Institution (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
4. The Swiss Electrotechnical Association (Swiss Safety Mark)
5. The Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
6. The AIB-VINCOTTE Inter, Belgium (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
7. The Italian Certification of Suppliers' Quality Systems (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
8. The French Association for Quality Assurance (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
9. The Austrian Association for the Assessment and Certification of Quality Systems (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
10. The KERMI Testing and Quality Control Ltd., Hungary (General Cooperation)
11. The Hungarian Institute for Testing and Certification of Electrical Equipment (General Cooperation)
12. The Czech Office for Standards, Metrology, and Testing (General Cooperation)
13. The Polish Centre for Testing and Certification (General Cooperation)
14. Underwriter Laboratories Inc., U.S.A. (Assistance to check UL certification marks regarding to their authenticity and ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
15. The State of California Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation, U.S.A. (Flame retardant tests)
16. The State of Oregon Department of Agriculture, U.S.A. (Recognition of test reports issued by the Oregon USDA)
17. The Quality Management Institute, Canada (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
18. The Japan Electrical Safety & Environment Technology Laboratories (S-JET Mark)
19. The Japan Quality Assurance Organization Assurance (S-JQA Mark、ISO 9000 Quality)
20. The Consumer Product Safety Association, Japan (SG Mark)
21. The Directorate for Standards and Quality, Vietnam (General Cooperation)
22. The Singapore Productivity and Standards Board (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
23. The Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (Technical Cooperation)
24. The Quality Assurance Services Pty. Ltd., Australia (AS Mark)
25. The South African Bureau of Standards (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
26. The SIRIM Berhad, Malaysia (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
27. The Standards Institution of Israel (General Cooperation)
28. The California Department of Food and Agriculture, U.S.A. (Recognition of test reports issued by the CDFA)
29. The Korean Foundation for Quality (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
30. The Management System Certification Institute, Thailand (ISO 9000 Quality Assurance)
31.The mongolian Agency for Standardization and Metrology (General Cooperation)
32. The ASTM Intrenational, United States ( Standards)
