INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION
1. The need for co-operation and effect
The need for participation in the international metrological co-operation is arisen from many important reasons especially economic, social and scientific.
There is a real truth today that international co-operation in the field of metrology has contributed to development of economy and makes economic co-operation more effective, above all less expensive. International organizations deal with scientific, industrial and legal metrology.
Scientific metrology encompassing research and development work includes:
- organization, development and maintenance of measurement standards,
- dissemination of units of measurement,
- comparisons of measurement standards and connection of results and readings with standards,
- mutual recognitions.
Industrial metrology deals with all metrological services connected with production processes in industry and encompasses:
- calibration of measuring instruments,
- type approval of measuring instruments for a manufacturer or his authorized representative.
Legal metrology encompasses:
- setting requirements for measuring instruments in very important fields like health, life, safety, environment, law and order, consumer law,
- creating infrastructure ensuring checking above mentioned requirements,
- supervision of complying with the regulations of the Polish act ‘Law on measures’.
The issues, concerning metrology changing together with science and being ahead of needs of industry, trade, testing laboratories and many fields of human life, are examined and settled in the international metrological organizations. There is no science without measurements. International metrological organizations determine the rules of conduct and coordinate efforts of the member states to ensure mutual confidence in results and issued certifications; it takes place thanks to implementation of common units of measures and common measuring procedures, and common law regulations. These organizations take action carried on to mutual recognition of measurement standards, and declared ability level in the scope of metrological services and confirmation of competence of laboratories in the different countries.
The membership of the international metrological organizations makes possible: partnership in making regulations, active participation in the international calibrations and comparisons, participation in join developmental programmes, improvement of the national measurement standards, and suggesting and lobbying needs of the Polish metrology. It makes efficient strengthening the position of the Polish economy under international competition conditions.
2. Participation of Poland in the international metrological organizations
On the international scene of metrology Poland is represented by GUM (Główny Urząd Miar – the Central Office of Measures).
Poland is a signatory of two international conventions and is a member of three international metrological organizations.
The Republic of Poland is the signatory of
- the Metre Convention’ (La convention du mètre)
(www.bipm.fr/en/convention) of great importance for world metrology, which gathers 51 Member States and 19 Associates States.
Treaty ‘the Metre Convention’ was signed in 1875 by 17 governments. The signatories decided to create and finance a scientific and permanent institute the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM – Bureau International de Poids et Measures).
Poland joins ‘the Metre Convention’ on 12 May 1925.
Within the Convention there are prepared basic directions in the scope of scientific metrology and discussed and checked results of works carried on by the National Metrological Institutes (NMIs). GUM is one of them – one and only in Poland.
The membership of ‘the Convention’ is – the essential in policy and economy of relevant country – testimony of economic and civilization development. Co-operation with member states of ‘the Metre Convention’ allows:
- assurance of traceability achieved, among other things, by comparisons of standards,
- participation in agreements concluded by the Member States of ‘the Metre Convention’ – in particular in MRA (Mutual recognition of national measurement standards and calibration and measurement certificates issued by national metrology institutes).
Participation in the above mentioned activities has, although indirect, very important influence for effective trade exchange and economic co-operation in the all fields of economy.
A supreme organ of ‘the Metre Convention’ is the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM – Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures). The CGPM currently meets in Paris once every four years. It is made up of representatives of the government of the Member States and observers from the Associates. Poland is represented by the President of GUM.
The International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM – Comité International des Poids et Mesures) is subordinate to the CGPM.
The CIPM is made up of eighteen individuals, each from a different Member States under ‘the Metre Convention’. The CIPM meets annually at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM – Bureau International des Poids et Mesures) and, among other matters, discusses reports presented to it by its Consultative Committees.
The CIPM supervises activity of the BIPM and appoints above mentioned Consultative Committees (CC), and also prepares drafts of the CGPM resolutions.
The BIPM – www.bipm.org – has its headquarters near Paris (Pavillon de Breteuil in Sèvres). It is financed jointly by the Member States of ‘the Convention’. Its mandate is to provide the basis for a single, coherent system of measurements throughout the world, traceable to the International System of Units (SI). This task takes many forms, from direct disseminations of national measurement standards (as length, electricity and ionizing radiation).
The BIPM has an international staff of over 70 and its status vis-à-vis the French government is similar to that of other intergovernmental organizations based in Paris.
The CIPM has prepared the MRA (Mutual Recognition of national measurement standards and of calibration and measurement certificates issued by national metrology institutes – www.bipm.fr/en/convention/mra or www.euromet.org/cipm_mra) signed on 14 October
This Mutual Recognition Arrangement is a response to a growing need for an open, transparent and comprehensive scheme to give users reliable quantitative information on the comparability of national metrology services and to provide the technical basis for wider agreements negotiated for international trade, commerce and regulatory affairs. The MRA establishes the degree equivalence of national measurement standards, provides for mutual recognition of calibration and measurement certificates issued by NMI and provides governments and other parties with a secure technical foundation for wider agreements.
The CIPM has established a number of Consultative Committees (CC) (www.bipm.fr/en/committees), which bring together the world’s experts In their specified fields as advisers on scientific and technical matters. Among the tasks of these CC are detailed consideration of advances and physics that directly influence metrology, the preparation of Recommendations for discussion at the CIPM, the identification, planning and execution of key comparisons of national measurement standards, and the provision of advice to the CIPM on the science work in the laboratories of the BIPM. The members of the CC are metrology laboratories and specialized institutes agreed by the CIPM, which send delegates of their choice.
GUM participates in activity of four CCs (from among ten):
- CCAUV – Consultative Committee for Acoustics, Ultrasounds and Vibration,
- CCM – Consultative Committee for Mass and Related Quantities,
- CCQM – Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance – Metrology in Chemistry,
- CCRI- Section I – Consultative Committee, for Ionising Radiation, Section I (X and γ rays, electrons);
The second world metrological organization of which Poland is a member is:
- The International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML – Organisation Internationale de Métrologie Légale) – www.oiml.org.60 countries are the Member States and 53 are Corresponding Members of OIML.
The OIML is an intergovernmental treaty organization established by Convention in
Poland signed ‘Convention establishing an International Organization of Legal Metrology’ in 1955 and is represented in OIML by GUM.
OIML Draft Recommendations and Documents are developed by Technical Committees or Subcommittees which are formed by the Member States. Certain international and regional institutions also participate on a consultation basis. The main elements of the OIML Recommendations are scope, application and terminology, metrological requirements, technical requirements, methods and equipment for testing and verifying conformity to requirements, and the test report format. The OIML Certificate System for Measuring Instruments was introduced in 1991. Certificates are delivered by OIML Member States that have established one or several Issuing Authorities responsible for processing applications by manufacturers wishing to have their instruments types (patterns) certified.
GUM is a member of 13 (from among 18) Technical Committees (TC) and 31 (from among 50) Subcommittees – www.oiml.org/tc_sc – and manages the Secretariat of Technical Committee (TC1) – Terminology..
GUM is a member of the following TCs:
- TC1 – Terminology,
- TC2 – Units of measurement,
- TC3 – Metrological control,
- TC4 – Measurement standards and calibration and verification devices,
- TC6 – Pre-packaged products,
- TC7 – Measuring instruments for length and associated quantities,
- TC8 – Measurement of quantities of fluids,
- TC9 – Instruments for measuring mass and density
- TC10 – Instruments for measuring pressure, force and associated quantities,
- TC11 – Instruments for measuring temperature and associated quantities,
- TC13 – Measuring Instruments for Acoustics and Vibration,
- TC14 – Measuring Instruments using in optics,
- TC17 – Instruments for physicochemical measurements..
Parallel with world co-operation in the field of metrology and in connection with it, there is carried on co-operation with so-called RMOs (Regional Metrological Organizations). Poland is a member of:
European Collaboration in Measurement Standards (EUROMET) – www.euromet.org. EUROMET has 34 Members and 4 Corresponding Applicants, with nearly every European state represented.
EUROMET was formally established by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by participating States in Madrid on 23 September 1987. EUROMET is open to membership of national metrology institutes of all States of the European Union and all States of the European Free Trade Association and the Commission of the EU. Poland was represented by GUM from 1996 to 1998 as Corresponding Applicant and since 1998 is a full Member.
The objective of EUROMET is to promote the coordination of metrological activities and services with the purpose of achieving higher efficiency.
Co-operation is grounded on projects initiated by the Member States. The type of projects being proposed should be defined as one of the following: cooperation research, comparison of measuring standards, traceability, consultation – www.euromet.org/projects . Co-operation is coordinated by Technical Committees (TC) – www.euromet.org/tc.
One representative of the Member State has right to participate in each TC. GUM is represented in every (12) TC:
- TC-AUV – Acoustics, ultrasound and vibration,
- TC-EM – Electricity and magnetism,
- TC-F – Flow,
- TC-IM – Interdisciplinary metrology,
- TC-IR – Ionising radiation,
- TC-L – Length,
- TC-M – Mass and related quantities,
- TC-MC – Metrology in chemistry,
- TC-PR – Photometry and radiometry,
- TC-T – Thermometry,
- TC-TF – Time and frequency.
- TC-Q – Laboratory quality systems
EUROMET makes all efforts to support the other European organizations and provide them with appropriate technical and scientific work.
EUROMET has the following specific tasks: provision of framework for collaborative research projects of inter-laboratory comparisons between the member NMIs, coordination of major investments for metrological facilities, transfer of expertise in the field of primary or national standards between the members, provisions of information on resources and services and co-operation with the calibration services and legal metrology services in Europe. EUROMET maintains close relations with BIPM and strongly supports its work and continues contact with EU institution in order to find new ways to support future needs of scientific metrology.
- European Cooperation in Legal Metrology (WELMEC) – www.welmec.org. WELMEC has 28 Members (legal metrology authorities from 28 countries) and 2 Associate Members.
WELMEC was created in 1990 between bodies responsible for legal metrology in the EU and EFTA states. Its objectives include the development of mutual confidence between the member services, the harmonization of legal metrology activities, and the removal of technical and administration barriers to trade in measuring instruments.
GUM – representative of the Polish side – from 1995 to 2004 was the Associate Member and since 13 May 2004 has been the full Member of WELMEC.
WELMEC has 9 active working group (WG) – www.welmec.org/wgi.asp. Representatives of GUM participate in each group:
- WG2 – Weights instruments,
- WG4 – General Aspects of Legal Metrology,
- WG5 – Metrological Supervision,
- WG6 – Prepackages,
- WG7 - Software
- WG8 – Measuring Instruments Directive,
- WG10 – Measuring Equipment for Liquids other than Water,
- WG11 – Utility Meters,
- Ad-hoc Group for Information Exchange.
The principal aim of WELMEC is to establish a harmonised and consistent approach to European legal metrology. The harmonisation of the European law in the field of metrology is based among other things on some directives: 71/316/EEC on measuring instruments and metrological control, 90/384/EEC on non-automatic weighing instruments and 2004/22/EC on measuring instruments.
- International Colour Association (AIC – Association Internationale de
The objects of the AIC are to encourage research in colour in all its aspects, to disseminate the knowledge gained from this research, and to promote its application to the solution of problems in the fields of science, art design and industry on an international basis.
The AIC is responsible for arranging international colour experts conferences (every 2 years) and international colour congresses (every 4 years). There are also organize inter-congresses meetings or special international or regional symposia. GUM was one of the co-organizers of the inter-congresses meeting in June 1999; the complete edition of conference documents was prepared in collaboration with GUM.
Being of a member of the AIC should be considered an honour and a matter of prestige of which the fact of representing Poland on the world forum of an exchange of scientific ideas in the field of the issues concerning the colour is.
3. Participation of Poland in the international hallmarking organizations
Poland is a member of 2 international organizations in hallmarking. There are taken active actions in bilateral co-operation with neighbouring countries and mutual co-operation (Visehrad Group) in the scope of articles of precious metals (for example in setting the draft of the EC directive concerning this field).
The Republic of Poland is a member of:
- The Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Precious Metals (Hallmarking Convention) – www.hallmarkingconvention.org.
At present 15 states are the Members of ‘the Convention’ and 4 states are the Observers.
Co-operation with the Polish side and Secretariat of ‘the Convention’ was established at the beginning of the ninety of the last century.
This ‘Hallmarking Convention’ was ratified by the Polish President on 19 July 2005.
The objective of ‘the Hallmarking Convention’ is to facilitate trade in precious metal articles while at the same time maintaining fair trade and consumer protection justified by the particular nature of these articles. For that purpose, ‘the Hallmarking Convention’ has introduced the first international hallmark – the Common Control Mark (CCM) – indicating the precious metal and its fineness.
‘The Convention’ enables designated national assay offices under the terms of ‘the Convention’ to apply the Common Control Mark to articles of gold, silver and platinum after having tested their fineness in accordance with agreed testing methods. Each Contracting State allows goods marked with CCM to be imported without further testing and marking (if such articles qualify for the domestic market).
Poland is also a member of:
- The Association of European Assay Offices (AEAO). The AEAO has 31 Members and 9 Observers. Members of the Association are assay offices or their counterparts in the European countries. Poland is represented by both regional assay offices in Warszawa and Krakow.
The benefits of co-operation with the AEAO are:
exchange of legal and technical experience between foreign assay offices, that has great impact on establishing trends in development of the Polish hallmarking,
closer acquaintance of assay offices in the individual Member States, their equipment, applied testing methods and marking methods of articles of precious metals and legal procedures in the field of supervision,
creation of database concerning foreign hallmarks and forged marks,
participation in the international testing programmes ‘Round Robin’ and ‘Labtest’,
participation in activity of working groups organized by the AEAO and in specialist international conferences (topics: implementation of Roentgen fluorescent method, identification of hallmark). Such specialist conferences has taken place twice in Poland. They were organized by the Regional Assay Office in Warszawa.
access to information concerning the rules of turnover of precious metals in the EU –participation of Poland in work on draft of the EC directive on goods of precious metals, collecting information on foreign legal systems for jewellery in Poland,
the promotion of the Polish hallmarking abroad,
direct participation in the international organizations activities and in managing this works. In 2001 – 2003 Ms Magdalena Ulaczyk, the director of the Regional Assay Office in Warszawa was a chairwoman of the AEAO; at present She is a deputy chairwoman..
