In Photo: Mr Lam Kong Hong (NMC) signing the MRA with Dr Terry Quinn (BIPM)

NMC signed the CIPM MRA* (International Committee for Weights and Measures Mutual Recognition Arrangement) in 1999. The CIPM MRA offers advantages, including international recognition of measurement standards and calibration certificates, reducing trade barriers for industries, fostering scientific collaboration, boosting consumer confidence in product safety, facilitating regulatory compliance, and promoting economic benefits through enhanced quality and competitiveness. It is a pivotal step for national metrology institutes to ensure their measurement standards are trusted globally, support efficient global trade, encourage scientific cooperation, and enhance quality assurance while reaping economic rewards.

NMC published the first set of provisional Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMC) published on the BIPM KCDB in 2001 and completed the requirements under the CIPM MRA in 2005 after successfully carried out a series of peer reviews by technical experts from peer national metrology institutes and quality system assessors from the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC).

NMC at the same time, actively provided peer reviewers to other national metrology institutes and international organisation to support the CIPM MRA. Starting with the first invited peer reviewer to the National Measurement Laboratory (NML)of Australia’s high voltage laboratory in 1999, NMC has carried out more than 81 peer reviews to date since 1999 for national metrology institutes in Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM).

* As of 2023, there are a total 253 institutes globally participating in the CIPM MRA, comprising 97 NMIs, 4 international organizations and 152 designated institutes