The Precious Metals Commission of CIBJO, The World Jewellery Confederation has completed its special report to be shared at the 2010 CIBJO Congress, on February 19 in Munich, Germany. The report explains CIBJO’s growing involvement in international forums examining issues of precious metals industries, during the past year. %% The EU Commission had contacted CIBJO President Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, after the 2009 CIBJO Congress in Istanbul, for CIBJO to investigate and make a submission to a group studying the use of cadmium in jewellery. The Precious Metals Commission submitted a report, covering both precious metals and non-precious metal "fashion" jewellery, and this topic is now being investigated under the leadership of the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) and an opinion is expected by March 24, 2010. %% "It is pleasing that CIBJO has a high reputation within the EU Commission, and that its professional opinion is sought out on these important issues," wrote Michael Allchin, president of the Precious Metals Commission. %% In September 2009, Dr. Cavalieri was invited to Geneva to participate in and address the Convention on the Control and Marking of Precious Metals, also known as the "Hallmarking Convention" or "Vienna Convention". The convention is an international treaty between 21 contracting states, which aims to facilitate the legal cross-border trade of precious metals. In his speech, Dr. Cavalieri noted that hallmarking is at the heart of assuring consumer confidence in precious metals, and that the Hallmarking Convention members and CIBJO members have a vested interest in close cooperation. %% At the convention, Mr. Allchin presented recent amendments to CIBJO's Precious Metals Blue Book, and requested that that the annexes to the Convention be changed to incorporate new allowable coatings on precious metal articles, as agreed by CIBJO in Istanbul. The Convention argued that the CIBJO changes had been made on aesthetic grounds, not technical ones and so did not immediately accept the same. %% A new paper was then prepared by Dippal Manchanda on behalf of the Precious Metals Working Group, which outlined the reasons why the changes recommended by CIBJO produced a technically superior product as well as an aesthetically superior piece of jewellery. According to the Precious Metals Commission report, Mr. Manchanda's paper was well received, and it is hoped that the regulations surrounding allowable coatings under the Convention will be brought into line with CIBJO's at the next Convention meeting in April 2010. %% The report also notes that the United Kingdom is currently in the process of drafting changes to its National Hallmarking Laws to also bring these into line with the CIBJO Blue Book. "It is encouraging to know that the lead taken by CIBJO is being translated into law in 21 countries," adds Mr. Allchin. At the 2010 CIBJO Congress in Munich, the Precious Metals Commission will present its New Appendix on Legal Precious Metal Finenesses in Countries Worldwide. This is an important document because it allows manufacturers in any member country of CIBJO to know what finenesses of precious metals need to be made for other countries. The appendix was compiled in cooperation with the International Association of Assay Offices.