Gradation certificate at provincial level issued
Presenting the certificate
In an attempt to further enhance the business environment in the city, Shanghai's market authorities on Tuesday awarded the first nationally-certified gradation certificate for reference material.
The use of reference material is common in quality control, measurement system calibration, and measurement method evaluation. In the biological sector, for instance, it functions similarly to balancing weights to determine the accuracy of a reading.
Businesses were previously awarded the certificate by the State Administration for Market Regulation but it can now be done at the provincial level.
"Last year, many local enterprises in the biomedicine, food safety, and environmental monitoring fields raised their demand to get the certificate in Shanghai. We then made the application for the review right of the second-class reference material," said He Xiaowei, deputy director of the metrology department of the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation.
The first gradation certificate for reference material issued in Shanghai
After receiving clearance from China's top market watchdog, Shanghai's market regulators became the first in the country to be permitted to give the certificate following evaluation at the provincial level. The Pudong New Area and Fengxian District are testing the procedure.
Enterprises can submit applications online which are reviewed by professionals.
According to officials, the time it takes from the review to the distribution of the certificate is now 15 working days instead of six months.
"The new practice cuts the human, financial and time cost of companies, and it is expected to help attract foreign-funded companies to the city with an improved business environment," He said.
It expedites the time it takes for new products to reach store shelves as well. For instance, companies that manufacture baby formula need reference materials for quality control of their products, and they also need fresh reference materials for testing if supervision needs to change.
Officials stated that in the past their only option was to wait for the creation of fresh reference materials.
NatureStandard, a standard technology service provider in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, received the first certificate for an essential reagent in the testing, risk assessment and toxicological research of mycotoxin.
"It greatly reduces our expenses and increases productivity," stated Xie Tianpei, the company's board chairman.
