HKAS

March 2024

In March 2024, HKAS successfully extended its IAF MLA to Validation and Verification - ISO/IEC 17029

June 2023

In June 2023, HKAS successfully extended its APAC MRA to Validation and Verification of Environmental Information - ISO/IEC 17029 and ISO 14065:2020

October 2019

In October 2019, HKAS successfully extended its ILAC MRA to Proficiency Testing Provider (PTP) accreditation.

April, October & December 2018

In April and October 2018, HKAS successfully extended its IAF MLA to Energy Management System (EnMS) certification, and Validation and Verification respectively.

In December 2018, HKAS also successfully extended its PAC MLA (now replaced by APAC MRA with effect from 1 January 2019) to Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OH&SMS) certification.

July 2017

In June and July 2017, HKAS successfully extended its PAC MLA and IAF MLA to Food Safety Management System (FSMS) certification.

March 2017

HKAS has been a signatory to the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) of both the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) for Quality Management System (QMS), Environmental Management System (EMS) and Product Certifications for many years. HKAS has also been a PAC MLA signatory to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) validation and verification since June 2015. In March 2017, HKAS successfully extended its PAC MLA to Energy Management System (EnMS) certification and became one of the inaugural PAC MLA signatories in EnMS certification.

June 2015

HKAS became a signatory to the PAC MLA for accreditation of validation / verification bodies for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) validation and verification.

Photo caption: Mr Wong Wang-wah, Executive Administrator of HKAS represented HKAS in signing the PAC MLA for GHG validation and verification

May 2015

20 May 2015 marks the 30th Anniversary of HKAS. On 20 May 1985, we were established as an accreditation body for laboratories under the name of Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS). In response to the needs of the Hong Kong economy, the scope of accreditation services was expanded to cover certification and inspection in 1998 and 1999 respectively, and we were renamed as Hong Kong Accreditation Service in 1998. Now, the scope of services provided by HKAS covers more comprehensive range of conformity assessment activities and we will continue to strike our best to serve the needs of the Hong Kong community.

Photo caption: 2015 marks the 30th Anniversary of Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS)

January 2015

HKAS hosted the APLAC mid-term MRA Council meeting and Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) respectively on 8 and 9 am January 2015 in Hong Kong. Right after the APLAC EGA in the morning of 9 January 2015, HKAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) Accreditation Centre (GAC) to strengthen cooperation between the two parties in the field of accreditation.

Photo caption: MoU signing between HKAS and GAC

August 2014

On invitation by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Mr Randy Dougherty, Chairman of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) visited Hong Kong on 10-16 August 2014.

Photo caption: Mr Randy Dougherty, Chair of IAF, and HKAS AAB Members

June 2014

The APLAC extended its scope of MRA to Proficiency Testing Providers (PTP) in 2014. HKAS signed the MRA for PTP accreditations on 25 June 2014 and became one of the inaugural signatories for the APLAC PTP MRA. The other six inaugural signatories were TAF (Chinese Taipei), SAC (Singapore), JAB (Japan), A2LA (US), ema (Mexico), and ANSI-ASQ (US).

Photo caption: (Left) Mr Nigel Jou, Chair of APLAC; (Centre) Mr Wong Wang-wah, Executive Administrator of HKAS; (Right) Ms Roxanne Robinson, Chair of APLAC MRA Council

October 2012

The scope of the ILAC MRA was extended to include the accreditation of inspection bodies on 24 October 2012, at the annual ILAC / IAF meetings held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. HKAS was one of the thirty-nine inaugural signatories to the ILAC MRA.

Photo caption: Mr. Peter Unger, ILAC Chair, presenting ILAC MRA Certificate on Inspection to Mr. WONG Wang-wah, Executive Administrator, HKAS

September 2012

On invitation by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Mr Peter Unger, Chairman of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and President / CEO of the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) visited Hong Kong on 16-22 September 2012.

Mr Peter Unger, ILAC Chair, visiting ITC

June 2012

HKAS hosted the 19th PAC Plenary Meeting from 16 to 23 June 2012. There were more than 100 overseas delegates from PAC member economies registered for the PAC Plenary Meeting 2012, which was the record high. Events that took place during the week of the PAC Plenary Meeting 2012 comprised an opening ceremony cum seminar, executive meetings, committee meetings, plenary meeting and training courses.

Photo caption: Guests of Honour of the PAC Plenary Meeting 2012 Opening Ceremony cum Seminar

June 2012

HKAS' Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) extended to Reference Material Producers (RMP) in 2012. At Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) mid-year meetings in June 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand, the APLAC MRA Council resolved that HKAS' scope of recognition be extended to cover accreditation of RMPs effective on 7 June 2012. The HKAS Executive Administrator signed the MRA for RMP accreditation after the meeting and the accreditations granted by HKAS for RMPs are now covered under the APLAC MRA.

Photo caption: Mr Wong Wang-wah, Executive Administrator of HKAS (middle) signed the MRA for RMP accreditation in the presence of Mr Barry Ashcroft (IANZ, New Zealand), Chair of APLAC MRA Council and Ms Chang Kwei Feng (SAC, Singapore), Chairlady of APLAC

June - July 2011

HKAS became a signatory to the IAF MLA and the PAC MLA for accreditation of certification bodies for Environmental Management System (EMS) Certification and Product Certification.

September 2009

In 2009, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government identified the testing and certification industry as one of the industries that Hong Kong had clear advantage and there were potentials for development. The Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification (HKCTC) was established on 17 September 2009 to drive the development of the industry, to raise its professional standards and to enhance the recognition of the industry in the international arena by building up a brand name for Hong Kong's testing and certification services.

January 2008

Effective from 1 January 2008, accreditation service for proficiency testing providers is available from HKAS.

April 2007

APLAC MRA was extended to include ISO 15189 as a separate scope descriptor at Shanghai, China in April 2007. HKAS is one of the eight inaugural signatories to this extended MRA. The eight inaugural signatories to ISO 15189 are HKAS, DMSc, IANZ, Standards Malaysia, ema, JAB, TAF, SAC.

October 2004

In the ILAC and IAF General Assemblies and conferences held in Cape Town, South Africa in October 2004, HKAS became a signatory to the IAF Multilateral Mutual Recognition (MLA) for accreditation of certification bodies for Quality Management System (QMS) Certification on 9 October 2004.

Photo caption: Mr Tommy Fung represented HKAS in signing the IAF MLA for QMS

April 2004

On 21 & 22 April 2004, the accreditation fraternity saw the inaugural signing of the first APLAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for Inspection Bodies at the APLAC meetings in Columbia, USA. Together with four other accreditation bodies, HKAS was one of the inaugural signatories admitted to the APLAC MRA for accreditation of inspection Bodies.

Photo caption: Signing of the first APLAC MRA for Inspection Bodies

February 2004

HKAS launched the medical testing accreditation programme on 16 February 2004.

27 November 2003

HKAS has joined the PAC MLA (Pacific Accreditation Cooperation Multilateral Recognition Arrangement) for accreditation of Quality Management System on 27 November 2003.

November 2000

HKAS became a signatory to the ILAC MRA for testing and calibration on 2 November 2000.

Photo caption: The MRA was signed in Washington, D.C., with the participation of 33 accreditation bodies

December 1999

The accreditation scheme for inspection bodies, the Hong Kong Inspection Body Accreditation Scheme (HKIAS), started to accept application on 15 December 1999.

November 1998

Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS) was established through the expansion of HOKLAS to certification body accreditation. A new accreditation scheme for certification bodies, the Hong Kong Certification Body Accreditation Scheme (HKCAS) was launched in 1998 together with the birth of HKAS in the same year.

November 1997

HOKLAS became one of the founding signatories to the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) MRA. The inaugural signing of the APLAC MRA occurred on 19 November 1997, with seven accreditation bodies signing the MRA for testing and calibration, including HOKLAS.

9-13 September 1996

Forty-one laboratory accreditation schemes including HOKLAS from thirty-six economies signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for full membership and three signed as associate members of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) at the ILAC Conference held in Amsterdam.

Year 1995

Following an interim bilateral agreement for mutual recognition with the Multilateral Agreement Group of the European Co-operation for Accreditation of Laboratories (EAL) in October 1994, a mutual recognition arrangement was established with EAL in 1995.

Photo caption: MRA signing Ceremony with EAL

April 1995

The Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in April 1995 by Australia, Brunei Darussalam, People's Republic of of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States of America, and Vietnam.

October 1994

The ILAC conference was held in Hong Kong and hosted by HKAS in October 1994.

Year 1989-1996

In March 1989, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mutual recognition of test data was signed between HOKLAS and NAMAS (then UKAS) of the UK. Similar MoU was signed with A2LA of USA as well as NATA of Australia in April 1990, TELARC (then IANZ) of New Zealand in May 1991, STERLAB (then RvA) of the Netherlands in May 1993. Subsequently, bilateral arrangements for mutual recognition of accreditations were also established with NVLAP of USA and SINGLAS (then SAC-SINGLAS) of Singapore in 1996.

14 March 1986

First granted of accreditation under Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS).

20 May 1985

Launching of Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS) on 20 May 1985.