34 | MEASURE www.ncsli.org

TECHNICAL PAPERS

1. IntroductionWith the objective of providing for a better coordination of thework of the National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) some two orthree decades ago, the establishment of Regional MetrologyOrganisations (RMOs) began. Although the cooperation withinthe RMOs was informal and without binding obligations, itturned out to be extremely successful in bringing metrologistswithin the region together, providing mutual technical supportand advice, coordinating the provision of traceability to theInternational System of Units (SI), organising intercomparisons,and cooperating research and development projects.

Cooperation in the Development ofNational Metrology Infrastructurewithin EURAMETWolfgang Schmid and Arnold Leitner

Abstract: Growing participation of emerging economies in global markets brings with it the need for these countriesto demonstrate the conformity of the products produced by their industries with standards and requirements of theircustomers. The establishment of a functioning and internationally recognised national quality infrastructure, withmetrology forming an essential part of it, is crucial for these countries. The European Association of National Metrol-ogy Institutes, EURAMET, as a Regional Metrology Organisation (RMO) of Europe, recognises this responsibility andhas organised advisory support and the exchange of experience among its members, as well as searching for a har-monised metrology infrastructure in Europe. The members of EURAMET (comprising full members and associates)are the National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) and Designated Institutes, which are responsible for maintaining thenational measurement standards, facilitating traceability to the International System of Units (SI), and providing knowl-edge transfer to the users of metrology in their countries. Many members of EURAMET are from countries where thenational quality infrastructure is still under development. Aiming at a greater efficiency in this development process,a few years ago the NMIs from South-East Europe started a closer cooperation via joint activities and sharing experi-ences. With the establishment of a EURAMET Focus Group for Facilitating National Metrology Infrastructure Devel-opment, this cooperation was opened to all EURAMET members. The first meeting of the Focus Group was held inNovember 2008 in Skopje, FYR Macedonia. The three objectives of the Focus Group are: (1) The promotion and thedevelopment of the metrology infrastructure in the countries of its members by increased cooperation. (2) The facili-tation and acceleration of the integration of its member NMIs into EURAMET activities bridging the gap between smalland new NMIs to the leading NMIs. (3) Raising awareness about the development of metrology and quality infrastruc-ture in the countries. This paper describes the history of the cooperation, introduces the objectives and Terms of Ref-erence of the Focus Group, and describes the activities which were planned and initiated at its first meeting.

Wolfgang Schmid

European Association of National Metrology Institutes EURAMETBundesallee 100, D-38116 BraunschweigGermanyEmail: wolfgang.schmid@euramet.org

Arnold Leitner

Bundesamt fuer Eich- und Vermessungswesen - BEVArltgasse 35, AT-1160 ViennaAustria

MEASURE | 35Vol. 4 No. 4 December 2009

TECHNICAL PAPERS

In the framework of increasing globalisation and the variousapproaches to regional economic integration all over the world,the RMOs became the key players for the international recogni-tion of the national measurement standards and the calibrationand measurement capabilities (CMC) offered from the NMIs toindustry and other users in their country. A global MutualRecognition Arrangement of the International Committee forWeights and Measures (CIPM MRA) was established in 1999.In the meantime, NMIs from 72 countries and two internationalorganisations have joined this arrangement. [1]

The European cooperation in scientific metrology andnational measurement standards was successfully coordinatedover almost 20 years by the European Cooperation in Measure-ment Standards EUROMET, based on a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU). However, the intensity and the requiredcommitments of the cooperation were increasing continuouslyover the years and new challenges were appearing which couldno longer be addressed satisfactorily in the loose form of coop-eration through an MoU. In view of the new challenges, theEuropean NMIs decided to give their cooperation a more formalbasis. In January 2007 the European Association of NationalMetrology Institutes or EURAMET e.V. was established as a reg-istered non-profit association under German law and substi-tuted the cooperation within EUROMET. [2, 3, 4]

The NMIs of 33 European countries are members ofEURAMET (see Fig. 1). Four South-East European NMIs areapplying for membership and have associate status until theyfulfill the EURAMET membership criteria. [5, 6] Furthermore,the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements(IRMM) from the European Commission and 69 DesignatedInstitutes (DIs) are participating in EURAMET as associates.

Growing participation of emerging economies in the globalmarkets brings with it the need for these countries to demon-strate the conformity of the products produced by their indus-tries with standards and requirements of their customers. Theestablishment of a functioning and internationally recognisednational quality infrastructure, with metrology forming anessential part of it, is crucial for these countries. The RMOs arerecognising this responsibility, organising advisory support andthe exchange of experience among their members and searchingfor a harmonised metrology infrastructure in their region. Mean-while all five existing RMOs have established some kind of for-malised cooperation with the aim to support the development oftheir emerging members, to enable their full participation in theRMO activities and to establish in this way a basis for a substan-tive cooperation among all of their members.

Figure 1. The NMIs of 33 European countries are members of EURAMET, while the NMIs of four South-East European countries and theIRMM are associates.

36 | MEASURE www.ncsli.org

TECHNICAL PAPERS

2. EURAMET Focus Group onFacilitating NationalMetrology InfrastructureDevelopment

Many of the members of EURAMET arefrom countries where the national qualityinfrastructure, with metrology an essen-tial part of it, is still under development.Five member or associate NMIs ofEURAMET have still not signed theCIPM MRA, a further five NMIs havesigned it but have no recognised CMCspublished on the website of the CIPMMRA. [7]

EURAMET sees one of its objectivesas supporting the development efforts ofits members and associates. A guidancedocument describing how a nationalmetrology infrastructure should or couldlook like and what EURAMET is expect-ing from its member NMIs has beendeveloped. [5] Advisory support fromthe experienced NMIs shall help todevelop these infrastructures; sharingexperiences and joint activities amongthe emerging NMIs, on the other hand,will increase the efficiency in this devel-opment process.

The NMIs from South-East Europestarted this type of cooperation a fewyears ago and organised several jointactivities (trainings, workshop, inter-comparisons), supported within theframework of the Technical Cooperationof Physikalisch-Technische Bunde-sanstalt (PTB), the NMI of Germany.

Discussions within these South-East

European NMIs concluded that it wouldbe of benefit for EURAMET to open thiscooperation for all members. This pro-posal was supported by the EURAMETGeneral Assembly, and in Summer 2008a Focus Group for Facilitating NationalMetrology Infrastructure Developmentwas established. Although the focus ofthe cooperation is still in South-EastEurope, active participation or expressedinterest of NMIs from all parts of Europehas been observed.

The objectives of the Focus Group aredescribed in their Terms of Reference [8]as the following:

1. The promotion and development ofthe metrology infrastructure in thecountries of its members by anincreased cooperation and collabo-ration to achieve concentration anda synergetic and efficient use ofcompetences and resources.

2. The facilitation and acceleration ofthe integration of its member NMIsinto EURAMET activities. It is notdesigned to create parallel struc-tures within EURAMET but toaccelerate the integration into exist-ing structures and to bridge the gapbetween small and new NMIs to theleading NMIs.

3. Raising awareness about the devel-opment in metrology and qualityinfrastructure in the countries.

The first meeting of the Focus Groupwas held in November 2008 in Skopje,FYR Macedonia. Agreements on the

principles of cooperation were obtained,the Chairperson was elected, and anaction plan for the activities of the FocusGroup was established (see Fig. 2).

3. Coordination and ManagementThe principal instrument for developingstrategies and planning activities is theannual plenary meeting of the contactpersons of the participating NMIs. Addi-tional persons may participate as guestsor advisors.

At the first meeting in November 2008,Arnold Leitner from BEV, Austria, waselected Chairperson of the Focus Group.A Co-Chair for the Organisation willsupport the Chairperson for one year andis responsible for the organisation of thenext annual meeting. Zijad Dzemic fromInstitute of Metrology of Bosnia-Herze-govina (IMBiH) was elected to this func-tion. In the coordination and managementof the Focus Group, the Chairpersons aresupported by the EURAMET Secretariat.

A special section in the EURAMETwebsite has been established for providingrelevant contact data, planning of up-coming events, disseminating documentsand relevant information and document-ing the events and meetings after theirimplementation. [8] It has been developedwithin a secondment of a staff member ofIMBiH, Bosnia-Herzegovina to theEURAMET Secretariat, and is maintainedby him from his home institute.

Crucial elements for a successful andsustainable cooperation in the FocusGroup are:

a. Central coordination by the Chair-person, the Co-Chair and the Secre-tariat: This coordination facilitatesthe development of concepts whichare in line with EURAMET strate-gies and are steering towards thedevelopment of a regional and sus-tainable infrastructure. Further-more, it guarantees the follow-up ofthe planned and initiated activities.

b. Integration of all members and theiractive participation in the FocusGroup activities: The participatingNMIs may in principle act as recip-ients or as donors of the support;however it is the aim of the groupthat all of them act in both roles. Allof them shall be active players in thecooperation which makes them feel

Figure 2. First meeting of the EURAMET Focus Group in Skopje, FYR Macedonia on 27-28November 2008.

MEASURE | 37Vol. 4 No. 4 December 2009

TECHNICAL PAPERS

like owners of the process. This helps to detect and analyzethe true problems and development needs of the countries,rather than implementing what the donors think that anemerging country needs; in this way it creates a communityof true partner NMIs. In addition, it should support thesustainability of the activities, as the cooperation will notstop once the support of the principle donor NMIsdeclines.The participation may take part at different levels: In the analysis of the needs and planning of the activities

via round tables during the Focus Group meetings. In the organisation of meetings and events. In the development and implementation of training

courses, coordination of comparisons and other techni-cal activities.

Via secondments to the EURAMET secretariat for man-agement and coordination support and the maintenanceof the website.

c. Financial and expertise support of the Technical Coopera-tion of PTB: The budget of most of the participating NMIsis limited to the routine operation of the institute. Forextra activities, such as training, consultancy for thedevelopment of new laboratories, or participation in inter-national or regional activities, generally little or no budgetis available. As EURAMET by itself has no budget fordevelopment activities, third party funding is vital.

The Technical Cooperation Section of PTB [9] has a longterm experience in development support of metrological andquality infrastructure all over the world. The low level ofbureaucracy and administrative obstacles, compared to manyother donor organisations, guarantees a flexible and very effi-cient support of the activities of the Focus Group. Furthermore,the Technical Cooperation of PTB has access to a wide pool ofconsultants for the non metrology areas of the cooperation, incases where the EURAMET NMIs cannot provide their ownexperts.

4. Fields of ActivitiesDuring the Focus Group meeting in November 2008, an actionplan was elaborated. Activities are planned in the following fivefields.

Training: Regional training courses are organised on the ini-tiative of various members of the Focus Group in different tech-nical metrological fields, as well as in general matters such aslegal metrology, quality management, and accreditation (asses-sors). Furthermore one project for the development ofEURAMET training materials was launched. The participationof metrologists from various NMIs as students contributes tothe growing mutual understanding and to the generation of across-frontier community of metrologists.

Intercomparisons: The successful participation in laboratoryintercomparisons is a crucial element for the internationalrecognition of national standards and calibration and measure-ment capabilities within the CIPM MRA. As many of the FocusGroup members have little or no experience in comparisons,these activities are organised in a two-step approach: Startingwith a training module for the non-experienced NMIs, prepar-

ing them with workshops and a training-comparison (profi-ciency test), followed in a second step by a true comparisonfor all interested NMIs according to internationally recognisedprotocols.

Coordination of metrology services: In particular, smalleconomies do not have the resources for providing a compre-hensive support with national standards and services in all areaswhich their industries and other users require. Enhancedregional cooperation can be a solution, aiming at agreementsbetween the NMIs of neighboring countries on their fields ofactivities and maintenance of national standards, on a mutualsupport in calibration services to industry, and on the joint useof facilities.

Awareness raising and joint networking: Lack of awarenessof the importance of a sound national quality infrastructure, andin particular for metrology, is a very frequent phenomena inemerging economies, resulting in insufficient economic, politi-cal and logistical support of the NMIs. Exchange of experienceand joint elaboration of materials for raising awareness at gov-ernmental level, and even joint awareness events with the par-ticipation of recognized experts from highly developedeconomies, are planned and initiated.

Peer visits on quality systems: In addition to inter-compar-isons, another crucial element for the international recognitionof the calibration and measurement capabilities of an NMIwithin the CIPM MRA is a functioning and evaluated QualityManagement System (QMS). Responsibility for the evaluationof the QMS lies with the respective RMO. An efficient instru-ment for the exchange of experience in quality matters, theimprovement of the QMS and the generation of mutual confi-dence in the QMS are internal audits with the participation ofexternal experts.

5. Conclusions after the First Year of OperationThe Focus Group has been successfully established and isalready very active. The elaboration of a very ambitious actionplan at the first annual meeting shows the high interest of theFocus Group members in a stronger cooperation. The imple-mentation of this action plan has made remarkable progress, inparticular in the case of the joint training courses, showing ahigh engagement of members supporting the Focus Group activ-ities. In the other, more complex fields, activities are in prepa-ration.

It becomes more and more obvious that the activities ofEURAMET for developing infrastructure are an important com-plement to other EURAMET activities like research and theCIPM MRA. Knowledge in research and development projects,for example within the European Metrology Research Pro-gramme (EMRP) [10], is mainly generated by the highly devel-oped NMIs. However, this needs to be made available to theentire European metrology community. The Focus Group is anoptimum instrument to design and develop knowledge transferefficiently and in accordance to EURAMET objectives.

The cooperation within the Focus Group also gives importantpolitical signals to the governments of the emerging Europeancountries and to the European Commission, underlining thehigh importance which EURAMET sees in the development of

38 | MEASURE www.ncsli.org

TECHNICAL PAPERS

a sound and efficient metrology infrastructure all over Europe.As a side effect, it increases the visibility of EURAMET, as wellas to the internal stakeholder community and political decisionmakers, and presents EURAMET as an important partner in allmetrology related matters in the development of a Europeanquality infrastructure.

6. References[1] CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement, see

www.bipm.org/en/cipm-mra/ for current version.[2] M. Khne, European Metrology: Quo Vadis, NCSLI Measure,

vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 2831, 2008.[3] W. Schmid, EURAMET developing its new role in European

metrology, Proceedings IMEKO 1st Regional Metrology Organi-sations Symposium RMO 2008; 20th International MetrologySymposium, Cavtat-Dubrovnik, Croatia, November 1215, 2008.(www.rmo2008.org)

[4] L. Pendrill, EURAMET: European Association of NationalMetrology Institutes, NCSLI Measure, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 4044,2009.

[5] EURAMET and the operation of NMIs, EURAMET Guide No.10, Version 1.0, Issued June 2, 2008.(www.euramet.org/index.php?id=guides)

[6] EURAMET website: www.euramet.org, see Profile > Membersand Associates

[7] Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) key comparisondatabase: http://kcdb.bipm.org

[8] EURAMET website: Focus Group on Facilitating NationalMetrology Infrastructure Development,www.euramet.org/index.php?id=tc-im-focus-group

[9] PTB, Department Q.5 Technical Cooperation,www.ptb.de/en/org/q/q5/

[10] A. Henson, The European Metrology Research Programme inAction, 2009 NCSLI Measure, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 2633, 2009.