MoU between UNIDO, BIPM and the OIML

On 3 December 2008, the OIML, the International Bureau of Weights and Measure (BIPM), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) agreed to establish a strategic partnership on metrology by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The aim of the partnership is to enhance the impact of industrial development on economic growth and to minimize technical barriers to trade (TBT) which are still a major obstacle to exports from developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

The MoU was signed by UNIDO's Director-General, Kandeh Yumkella, CIML President Alan Johnston and BIPM Director Andrew Wallard. The new partners agreed to join forces to help developing countries integrate more beneficially into the global economy. During the signature event, concrete technical areas of cooperation were discussed. These areas - such as the establishment of training guides to assist developing countries overcome metrology, and legal metrology issues at the laboratory level - will provide the springboard to launch the cooperation.

The MoU will ensure that:

- the OIML's worldwide technical structure which provides its Members with metrological guidelines for the development of national and regional requirements concerning the assessment and use of measuring instruments in legal metrology applications;
- the BIPM's expertise in scientific metrology which provides the basis for a single, coherent system of measurements throughout the world, traceable to the International System of Units (SI); and
- UNIDO's significant experience and a large portfolio of ongoing projects in the area of standards, metrology, testing, certification and accreditation

are used in the best way possible to ensure the better implementation of capacity building activities in standards and conformity, as well as compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures. It will also optimize UNIDO's delivery of trade capacity building technical assistance in metrology. This is of great importance due to UNIDO's position as a key agency for the implementation of projects related to TBT and SPS issues and standards and conformity capacity building.

UNIDO

Andrew Wallard (BIPM Director)
Kandeh Yumkella (UNIDO Director-General)
Alan E. Johnston (CIML President, 2006-2011)