MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

The National Metrology Institutions on behalf of which this Memorandum has been signed, considering: declare their intention of cooperating in the field of physical quantities measurement standards, legal metrology, calibration and accreditation of measuring laboratories within the framework of COOMET as follows:

SECTION 1 - MEMBERS OF COOMET

COOMET is the organization for the Euro-Asian cooperation of National Metrology Institutions (from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and countries nearby) and is open to the National Metrology Institutions of countries of other regions to join it as Associate Members.

SECTION 2 - OBJECTIVES OF COOMET

The objectives of COOMET are:
  1. To contribute to effectively solving problems of the uniformity of measures and the required accuracy of measurements;
  2. To contribute to establishing closer cooperation between the national economies and to removing technical barriers to international trade;
  3. To harmonize the activities of the Metrology Services on the basis of international arrangements.

SECTION 3 - TASKS OF COOMET

The tasks of COOMET are to strengthen the links between the National Metrology Institutions interested in solving common problems and to create effective mechanisms in order:
  1. To achieve equivalence of measurement standards and to harmonize the requirements imposed on measuring instruments and methods for their metrological control;
  2. To recognize the equivalence of national certificates certified the results of metrological activities;
  3. To exchange information on the present status of National Metrology Services and their development;
  4. To collaborate in metrological projects;
  5. To promote the exchange of metrological services.

SECTION 4 - PRINCIPAL FIELDS OF COOPERATION WITHIN COOMET

The principal fields of cooperation within COOMET include:
  1. Establishing and maintaince of primary standards and scales of physical quantities;
  2. Dissemination of units from primary standards to ordinary measuring instruments;
  3. International comparisons of primary standards and of standards of lower levels;
  4. Development of new methods of measurement and of new types of measuring instruments of high accuracy;
  5. Solving of problems of general metrology, including problems of the theory of measurement and uncertainties, systems of units, terminology;
  6. Establishing of a system of collection and dissemination of information on metrology and on measurement techniques, information technologies.
  7. Definition, collection, evaluation and certification of reference data used in metrology;
  8. Certification and use of reference materials;
  9. Unification of requirements for measuring instruments subject to metrological control and of test methods in accordance with international recommendations;
  10. Preparation of conditions for the mutual recognition of results of metrological control and metrological supervision.
  11. Implementation of calibration and recognition of its results according to the rules and procedures set up by international organizations;
  12. Accreditation of calibration (verification) laboratories and National Metrological Institutes according to the rules and procedures set up by international organizations.
  13. Development and certification and implementation of Quality management systems of National Metrological Institutes.
  14. Training and rising proficiency level of experts.
  15. Improvement of the organisation' activities and its structural bodies.

SECTION 5 - STRUCTURE OF COOMET AND WORKING PROCEDURES

  1. The COOMET body initiating and supporting cooperation is the Committee. It consists of the Heads of National Metrology Institutions of the COOMET member countries or persons appointed by them, one representative from each institution. The Committee will ensure that the activity of COOMET is in accordance with its objectives and contributes to accomplishing its tasks.
  2. The Committee shall elect its President from among its Members, for a period of three years, with the eligibility for reelection for one subsequent term of office.
  3. At the Committee meetings each Member of the Committee may be accompanied by one or more experts. Only Committee Members may vote.
  4. The Committee may invite observers from other international or regional organizations to take part in their meetings.
  5. The Committee shall meet as often as required but at least once per year.
  6. On the proposal of the President, the Committee shall approve nominees for the Vice- Presidents from among its members. The President, the Vice-Presidents and Chief of the COOMET Secretariat form the Presidential Council, which will develop the policies within the framework of COOMET, cooperation with international and regional metrology organizations, realization of the collaboration between the Committee meetings and preparation of questions for consideration at these meetings.
  7. The Committee shall decide on its own Rules of Procedure and on those of other organs of COOMET.
  8. The tasks of the COOMET Secretariat will, as a rule, be performed by the National Metrology Institute of the President.
  9. The Secretariat will assist the President and the Presidential Council in the management of COOMET and ensure contacts both between the Committee Members and between Committee and structural and working bodies of COOMET.
  10. Following the decision of COOMET Committee for the purpose of initiating work in the major fields and directions of cooperation the following structural bodies of COOMET are introduced: Joint Committees (JC), Technical committees (TC), Councils, Forums etc. The scope of their objectives, tasks and working and collaboration procedures is specified in relevant Provisions to be approved by COOMET Committee. Every structural body is headed by a chairman appointed by COOMET Committee for the period of 4 years with possible prolongation of this period to another one and further transfer of authority to a representative of another member-country.
  11. Structural bodies may establish:
    • Subcommittees (SC) - in order to address the permanent tasks of collaboration;
    • WG in the frame of relevant SC/TC - in order to carry out routine work in the framework of particular projects.
  12. Terms of reference, a head and staff of SC are defined by the relevant Technical Committee or by another structural body and approved by COOMET Committee for the period of 3 years with possible prolongation of this period to another one.
  13. Organisational and financial matters are managed by structural and working bodies individually taking into account collateral subordination of COOMET bodies.
  14. A National metrological institution - Member of the organisation may invite to cooperation other institutions of its country, at its own discretion, for working on a project.

SECTION 6 - LANGUAGES

  1. The languages of the Committee meetings are English and/or Russian.
  2. Documents of wide dissemination to be received and sent by the Secretariat shall be edited both in English and in Russian.
  3. Final reports written after completion of projects may be in English, French, German or Russian. The authors of the report are given the choice of a language sufficiently understood by those to whom they wish to convey their information or considerations.
  4. In other cases, any language may be used that the cooperating partners consider adequate for their communication.

SECTION 7 - RIGHTS

In order to achieve the objectives of COOMET, each Member of the Organization shall have the following rights:
  1. To have access, upon agreement, to national standards of other Members of COOMET;
  2. To seek cooperation and assistance in solving metrological problems;
  3. To propose subjects for common projects and participate in their carrying out;
  4. To receive information on the results of activities of COOMET Bodies.

SECTION 8 - OBLIGATIONS

In order to achieve the objectives of COOMET, each Member of the Organization shall accept the following obligations:
  1. To make available to the Committee, upon request, information on projects carried out and planned in line with the scope of the COOMET activities;
  2. To provide assistance and services to Members of COOMET upon mutual agreement;
  3. To participate in common projects of COOMET to the extent of its financial and technical means and depending on its interest and competence;
  4. To treat confidentially any information on the results of pattern approvals, verifications and calibrations of measuring instruments submitted by cooperation partners;
  5. To take into consideration the COOMET recommendations and to support the implementation of the results of COOMET projects in its respective country.

SECTION 9 - COOPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

  1. COOMET will make best use of the results of work of international metrology organizations, e.g. the International Metre Convention and the International Organization of Legal Metrology, and also of other organizations of interest to metrology such as ISO, IEC, CODATA and will follow their recommendations in its activities.
  2. COOMET intends to cooperate, as far as there is mutual interest, with regional metrology organizations of the Euro-Asian region, mainly with:
    • - A European Collaboration on Measurement Standards (EUROMET),
    • - European Legal Metrology Cooperation (WELMEC),
    • - European cooperation on Accreditation (EA),
    • - Asia-Pacific Metrology Program (APMP),
    • - Asia-Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF),
    and also with organizations of oter regions.

SECTION 10 - VALIDITY OF MEMORANDUM

  1. This Memorandum will come into operation on the date of having been signed by at least four Signatories and remain open to further participants.
  2. This Memorandum may at any time be amended by written agreement by at least three quarters of the Signatories.
  3. If a Member on behalf of which this memorandum has been signed, for any reason whatever intends to terminate its participation in COOMET, it shall notify the President of the COOMET Committee of its intention, not later than six months beforehand.
  4. This Memorandum is concluded for a term of five years. Unless within this five-year period revision or termination is proposed to the COOMET Committee by at least one third of the Signatories this Memorandum of Understanding will remain in effect for another five-year period.

SECTION 11 - LIMINATIONS

  1. Decisions of COOMET are of an exclusively recommendatory nature.
  2. The Secretariat's activities are financed at the expenses of a COOMET Committee presiding Party. The other COOMET Members can extend financial support on a voluntary basis to the Secretariat, the Presidential Council and other COOMET bodies for the implementation of particular arrangements.
  3. This Memorandum does not limit the rights and obligations of the COOMET Members arising from other bilateral or multilateral agreements of cooperations.

Done at Warsaw on the 12th of June 1991 in English and Russian,
updated and amended at the 10th COOMET Committee meeting
in Almaty, Kazakhstan on May 25-26, 2000
and
at the 12 COOMET Committee Meeting
in Havana, Cuba, on May 6-7, 2002