The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) has established an Information Center to assist industry, government agencies, institutes and researchers in obtaining information regarding local and international standards. This information is used for the purpose of upgrading the technology of industry, enhancing the competitive edge of manufacturers and accessing international markets.The Information Center provides national standards (CNS) and the standards of other nations.The public and industry may access this information by various means as outlined below.

Collection and Provision of Information Relating to Standards
The Information Center collects national standards and the standards developed by more than 60 organizations worldwide. The standards collected amount to approximately one hundred and eighty thousand documents in the form of printed matter, computer diskettes and CD-ROMs.

National Standards
There are about fourteen thousand national standards. More than three thousand of them are available in English.

Foreign Standards
Foreign standards available from the Information Center are classified into six categories: International standards, Asian standards, American standards, European standards, African standards and Pacific standards.

International standards
Standards developed by the Codex Alimentarious Commission (CAC), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the International Union of Railways (UIC).

Asian standards
Standards developed by the Consumer Safety Protection Association (CPSA) of Japan, the Guojia Biaozhum (GB) of the People's Republic of China, the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS), the Japanese Automobile Standards Organization (JASO), the Japanese Electrotechnical Committee (JEC), the Japanese Electrical Manufacturers' Association (JEM), the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS), the Japan Water Works Association (JWWA), the Japan Gear Manufacturers Association (JGMA) , the Japan Cable Makers' Association Standard(JCS), the Korean Industrial Standards (KS), the Malaysian Standards (MS) and the Singapore Standards (SS).

European standards
Standards developed by the Preliminary European Standards (PrEN), British Standards (BS), Deutsche Industrie Normen (DIN), Norme Francaise (NF), Osterreichisches Normungsinstitut (ON) and Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI).

Pacific standards
Standards developed by the Australian Standards (AS) and the New Zealand Standards (NZS).

American standards
Standards developed by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation (AASHTO), the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the American Optometric Association (AOAC), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the ASTM International (ASTM), the American Water Work Association (AWWA), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the National Electrical Manufacturers Associations (NEMA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) and the Underwriter Laboratory

African standard
Standards developed by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).

Others
The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) of the United States, the Official Journal of the European Communities, categories of standards, bulletins and other journals.

　List of Foreign Standards Collections

Foreign Standards Service
There are approximately one hundred twenty thousand documents compiled in this system, including: standards from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the British Standards Institution (BSI), the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Institute of Paper Chemistry (IPC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS), the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), and Underwriter Laboratories (UL).

Search Methods
A " Searching Foreign Standards by Category System " has been available to the public since January 2002. Users can access this system by entering the Standards Information Service link at the BSMI website.
The database can be searched by the name of standards, by code numbers, by key words, by the International Standard Book Numbering (ISBN), by the International Standard Serial Numbering (ISSN), by category, and by the year of publication.

Search Results
Search results can include the followings: the name and code number of the standard, the publisher, the year of publication, the edition number, the language, the number of pages and the copying and/or licensing fees.

Compilation, Translation and Publication of Information
English versions of CNS are now available mainly in the fields of chemical engineering, electronics and food sciences. Translation of the standards has been performed by scholars and experts at the request of the industry or commerce.

Publication of non-periodical announcement about newly purchased foreign standards.

CNS Online Service
CNS information is available on-line and can be purchased from the website:https://www.cnsonline.com.tw

Reading Service
A Reading Room is available for public users from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday, except on public holidays.

Consultation Service
Inquiries can be made by mail, fax, and e-mail or by telephone.
Address: Information Center, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection
4 Chinan Road, Section 1, Taipei 100, Taiwan. E-mail: infocenter@bsmi.gov.tw
Fax: (02) 2343-1986. Tel: (02) 2343-1980

Copy Service
Photocopying machines are available in the Reading Room. Provisions on intellectual property rights shall be observed when making copies.

Authorized Copy Service of Foreign Standards
Most foreign standards are copyright-protected. The BSMI has signed licensing agreements with nine standards organizations, permitting the copying and distribution of their standards, including: AS, ASTM, BSI, CSA, CEN, DIN, ISO, and UL. Payment of a royalty fee is required according to the relevant copyright agreement.

Purchase Service
The purchase of foreign standards on behalf of others is available upon request.

Inter-library Service
The Information Center participates in the Technological Inter-library Cooperation Association to provide enhanced information sharing.

International Exchange of Information and Cooperation
The Information Center maintains close contact with important national standardization bodies in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, etc. in order to provide users the newest information. The Information Center continues to negotiate licensing agreement with foreign standardization agencies.

Promotional seminars
Seminars on the CNS Online Service System and the Searching System of Foreign Standard Category are held to promote the use of CNS and to assist local industry to meet the requirements of other countries.

Collection of foreign standards
The Information Center will continue collecting and updating the paper and CD-ROM versions of foreign standards in order to assist industries in research, development and production.