The Cyprus Assay Office - Organisation for the hallmarking of Precious metals

<body> <p><img border="0" src="building1.jpg" align="right" width="350" height="203"><span lang="EN-US">The Law governing the marking of precious metal articles has been ratified by the House of Representatives in 1991, creating a new semi-Governmental Organisation, the Cyprus Organisation for the Hallmarking of precious metals.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US" lang="EN-US"> The Cyprus Assay Office (CAO) is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism.<o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US" lang="EN-US"> CAO is governed by a Board of Governors, appointed by the council of Ministers, and consists of 11 members representing Government Departments the Trade and the Consumers.<o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US" lang="EN-US"> CAO is not a profit – making establishment but covers its expenses through the fees charged for Hallmarking.<o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US" lang="EN-US"> CAO is committed to providing its customers with Assaying, Hallmarking and Quality control services in accordance with the provisions of the relevant Cyprus standards and the Cyprus Hallmarking Law and regulations.<o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"> </span>CAO has been in operation since March 1995 and since then has provided a high standard of service to the Jewellery Trade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>During this period the CAO bas built up a reputation for competence and integrity in executing its statutory duties of hallmarking and upholding the standards required by the law for the protection of the public.</span></p> <hr> <p><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><b><u>EXTERNAL RELATIONS</u></b><o:p> </o:p> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">The Cyprus Assay Office is a member of the Association of European Assay Offices and also an observer member of the Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Precious Metals.<o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">With this capacity the Cyprus Assay Office takes part in all the meetings of the above Organizations. <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Also the Cyprus Assay Office keeps very close relations with the British, Irish, Check, Holland and many other Assay Offices.<o:p> </o:p> </span><span lang="EN-US"> <o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <hr> <p><span lang="EN-US"><b><u>QUALITY SYSTEM</u></b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">It is the policy of the CAO Management to achieve and maintain a high Standard of Quality in all aspects of the work in the office.<o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">In order to meet our objectives the CAO has implemented a Quality System which satisfies the requirements of the CYS specification for the application of ISO 9002.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p> </o:p> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p style="tab-stops:.5in"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">QUALITY SYSTEM CERTIFICATES</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; color: fuchsia; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p> </o:p> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" msimagelist> <tr msimagelist> <td valign="baseline" width="42" msimagelist><img src="arrow.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13"></td> <td valign="top" width="100%"> <p style="tab-stops:27.0pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">CYS<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>ISO - Certificate Number<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">   </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">            </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">QS.2.99.086 </b><o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </span></td msimagelist> </tr> <tr msimagelist> <td valign="baseline" width="42" msimagelist><img src="arrow.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13"></td> <td valign="top" width="100%"> <p style="tab-stops:27.0pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">ELOT EN ISO - Certificate Number   <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">     </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">02.35.03/519</b><o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </span></td msimagelist> </tr> <tr msimagelist> <td valign="baseline" width="42" msimagelist><img src="arrow.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13"></td> <td valign="top" width="100%"> <p style="tab-stops:27.0pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">IQ Net - Registration Number                  <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">GR.02.35.03/519</b><o:p> </o:p> </span></td msimagelist> </tr> </table msimagelist> <p style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">The above certificates certify that the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Cyprus Organization for the Hallmarking of Precious Metals </b>has implemented and maintains a Quality Management System, which fulfils the requirements of ISO 9002.<o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" msimagelist> <tr msimagelist> <td valign="baseline" width="42" msimagelist><img src="arrow.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13"></td> <td valign="top" width="100%"> <p style="tab-stops:.5in"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">CYS      -    Cyprus Organisation for Standards and Control of Quality<o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </span></td msimagelist> </tr> <tr msimagelist> <td valign="baseline" width="42" msimagelist><img src="arrow.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13"></td> <td valign="top" width="100%"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">ISO       -    International Standards Organisation<o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </span></td msimagelist> </tr> <tr msimagelist> <td valign="baseline" width="42" msimagelist><img src="arrow.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13"></td> <td valign="top" width="100%"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">ELOT    -    Hellenic Organisation for Standardisation<o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </span></td msimagelist> </tr> </table msimagelist> <p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">The above organisations are independent bodies.<o:p> </o:p> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US"> </span></body>