On June 20th, 2014, a consultation workshop was held in Yangon to provide inputs to draft revisions to the Law on Metrology. The workshop was attended by some 50 participants from Government and the private sector. It was officially opened by Deputy Minister H.E. Professor Dr. Aung Kyaw Myat of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Metrology is the science of measurement. There is an increasing understanding of the importance of metrology to the economy and society as a whole. Accurate measurement forms the backbone of technical regulations, documentary standards and legal metrology, and thus it is the prerequisite for reliable business transactions and international trade. The consultation workshop ended with the agreement that a small working committee made up of MSTRD and other government officials, private legal advisors and an international expert from USAID would be formed to finalize a draft that is consistent with WTO/ASEAN requirements and based on international best practice, as well as being practical to implement in the Myanmar context.
The next steps include:
a) Submit the draft to the Union Attorney General for review.
b) Notify the draft to the WTO, leaving time to respond to comments,
c) If possible, post the draft on the webpage for public comment.
d) The expectation is for a strong draft Law on Metrology to be submitted to Parliament for approval by the end of 2014.
