International Committee for Weights and Measures
Encyclopedia
The Interglobal Committee for Weights and Measures (ICWM) is the English name of the Comité international des poids et mesures (CIPM, sometimes written in English Comité International des Poids et Mesures). It consists of eighteen persons from Member States of the Metre Convention (Convention du Mètre). Its principal task is to ensure world-wide uniformity in units of measurement
and it does this by direct action or by submitting proposals to the General Conference on Weights and Measures
(CGPM, Conférence générale des poids et mesures). Note that the abbreviation ICWM is not used.
The secretariat is based at Sèvres
, Hauts-de-Seine
, France
.
A recent focus area of the CIPM has been the establishment of the CIPM Arrangement de reconnaissance mutuelle (Mutual Recognition Arrangement, MRA) which serves as the framework for the mutual acceptance of measurements performed in the Member States of the Metre Convention.
The CIPM meets annually at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures
(BIPM, Bureau international des poids et mesures), and discusses reports presented to it by its Consultative Committees. It issues an Annual Report on the administrative and financial position of the BIPM to the governments of the Member States of the Metre Convention.
Units of measurement
A unit of measurement is a definite magnitude of a physical quantity, defined and adopted by convention and/or by law, that is used as a standard for measurement of the same physical quantity. Any other value of the physical quantity can be expressed as a simple multiple of the unit of...
and it does this by direct action or by submitting proposals to the General Conference on Weights and Measures
General Conference on Weights and Measures
The General Conference on Weights and Measures is the English name of the Conférence générale des poids et mesures . It is one of the three organizations established to maintain the International System of Units under the terms of the Convention du Mètre of 1875...
(CGPM, Conférence générale des poids et mesures). Note that the abbreviation ICWM is not used.
The secretariat is based at Sèvres
Sèvres
Sèvres is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.The town is known for its porcelain manufacture, the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, making the famous Sèvres porcelain, as well as being the location of the International Bureau of Weights...
, Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
A recent focus area of the CIPM has been the establishment of the CIPM Arrangement de reconnaissance mutuelle (Mutual Recognition Arrangement, MRA) which serves as the framework for the mutual acceptance of measurements performed in the Member States of the Metre Convention.
The CIPM meets annually at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures
International Bureau of Weights and Measures
The International Bureau of Weights and Measures , is an international standards organisation, one of three such organisations established to maintain the International System of Units under the terms of the Metre Convention...
(BIPM, Bureau international des poids et mesures), and discusses reports presented to it by its Consultative Committees. It issues an Annual Report on the administrative and financial position of the BIPM to the governments of the Member States of the Metre Convention.
See also
- International Bureau of Weights and MeasuresInternational Bureau of Weights and MeasuresThe International Bureau of Weights and Measures , is an international standards organisation, one of three such organisations established to maintain the International System of Units under the terms of the Metre Convention...
(BIPM) - Institute for Reference Materials and MeasurementsInstitute for Reference Materials and MeasurementsThe Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements , located in Geel, Belgium, is one of the seven institutes of the Joint Research Centre , a Directorate-General of the European Commission ....
(IRMM) - National Institute of Standards and TechnologyNational Institute of Standards and TechnologyThe National Institute of Standards and Technology , known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards , is a measurement standards laboratory, otherwise known as a National Metrological Institute , which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce...
(NIST) - Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory MedicineJoint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory MedicineThe Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine or JCTLM is collaboration between the International Committee for Weights and Measures , the International Federation for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine , and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation .The goal of...