32nd CIML Meeting — Minutes (EN, Bulletin)

The minutes of the 31 $ ^{st} $ CIML meeting were approved without comment.

The Committee took note of information from the Bureau concerning new (Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia and Ukraine) and expected (South Africa and possibly some other) accessions.

The Committee took note of information from the Bureau concerning the situation of certain Member States which were late in the payment of their contributions to the OIML; the Committee expressed its satisfaction for the fact that, at this time, the unpaid contributions of these Member States remained within acceptable limits. However, it urged them to do their utmost to pay their arrears as soon as possible. The Committee also took note of the fact that Burkina Faso had been delisted as a Corresponding Member for not having paid their annual subscriptions for more than four years.

The Committee approved the auditor's report for 1996 and requested its President and the Director of the Bureau to submit it to the Eleventh Conference.

The Committee took note of a report by the Bureau concerning the present financial situation of the Organization which was quite satisfactory although it could be expected that, for specific reasons, 1997 expenses would exceed the budget voted by the Tenth Conference. The Committee also expressed its satisfaction for the fact that Member States' 1998 contributions will practically not increase compared to 1996 and 1997.

The Committee took note of general information from the Bureau concerning the progress made in the implementation of these decisions.

The Committee took note with deep interest of information delivered by its Immediate Past President concerning the progress made in a study on "Conditions and potential of

The Committee took note of a report by Vice-President Chappell concerning the activity of the working group on accreditation established following the Tenth Conference. The Committee also took note of comments and proposals from certain participants, and in general endorsed the objectives and work program of the working group chaired by Mr. Chappell.

The Committee took note of a report by Vice-President Chappell concerning the general situation of the OIML technical committees and subcommittees and agreed that a small working group should be set up in order to reexamine the OIML technical program and redefine priorities.

The Committee agreed with a proposal from Germany and the Bureau to withdraw R 46 on electricity meters from the list of available publications owing to divergences with the relevant IEC International Standard, and requested TC 12 to start the revision of R 46 as soon as possible.

Vice-President Chappell indicated that the five draft Recommendations which were submitted for approval by the Committee had all been the subject of very serious studies by the secretariats and members of the working groups concerned, but that improvements

The Committee took note of a report concerning the present situation of the System. It was suggested that CIML Members and the BIML should do their utmost to inform manufacturers and other interested parties about the existence of the System and the "added value" which may result from OIML certificates, in particular in fields where measuring instruments are usually not subject to regulations.

The Committee took note of a report by the Bureau concerning the revision of the paper governing the operation of the System, as a result of both the discussions within the TAG $ _{cert} $ and the experience gained from five years' operation of the System.

The Committee decided that the two Recommendations on level gauges and evidential breath analyzers would become applicable within the System as soon as published.

The Committee took note of a report by President Faber concerning the last BIPM/OIML joint meeting held in February 1997, during a part of which ILAC also participated.

The Committee took note of information from the Bureau concerning the establishment of this Joint Committee and concluded that the proposed Charter was generally acceptable although, as pointed out by Messrs. Chappell and Birch, certain aspects concerning for example the participation of OIML in the JCGM working groups and the revision of the VIM should be clarified.

The Committee took note of a report by the Bureau concerning the initial contacts between OIML and the WTO, including the fact that the Bureau had applied for the status of observer to be granted to OIML by the WTO.

The Committee took note of a report by Vice-President Kochsiek concerning the signature of a memorandum of cooperation between the Sistema Interamericano de Metrologia (SIM) and the OIML.

The Committee received a written report and additional information concerning this matter from Vice-President Kochsiek. The Committee endorsed Vice-President Kochsiek's views concerning the activities of the Development Council for the forthcoming year and expressed its appreciation for the fact he has accepted to act as Chairman of the Council until the next meeting.

The Committee took note of information from Vice-President Kochsiek and from the Bureau and accepted the Bureau's proposals concerning OIML participation in the organization of this Seminar.

The Committee took note of a report by the Bureau concerning the general situation of BIML staff.

The Committee appointed Ms. Nathalie Dupuis-Desormeaux as Assistant Director, who will take up duty as soon as possible after 1 $ ^{st} $ January 1998.

The Committee took note of a report by the Bureau concerning BIML activities since its last meeting and expressed its satisfaction for the work accomplished, in particular for initiatives taken in certain new fields (Internet, communication, etc.). It requested its President to set up a working group in order to assist the Bureau in these new tasks.

The Committee took note of a report by the Bureau concerning the OIML Bulletin and reaffirmed the essential role of the Bulletin as a liaison and communication tool among OIML Members and indeed all those worldwide who have an interest in legal metrology activities. Therefore, the Committee urged its Members to actively participate in the Bulletin by providing the Bureau with technical papers, information on national and regional developments, announcements of metrological events, new books on metrology, etc., for publication in the Bulletin. The Committee also requested its President to examine the opportunity of establishing a working group to assist the Bureau in this respect.

The Committee took note of a report by the Bureau concerning the possibility of making information on OIML available through Internet and encouraged the Bureau to work in this direction. Concerning the availability on Internet of OIML International Recommendations and Documents and related juridical and economic aspects, the Committee requested its President to set up a working group in order to assist the Bureau in this respect.

The Committee took note of information given by the Delegation of the Republic of Korea concerning the preparations for the $ 33^{rd} $ CIML meeting and expressed its satisfaction. The Committee noted that this meeting will be held during the week following the ILAC meeting in Sydney, and that an APLMF meeting and possibly other OIML meetings or workshops will be organized in conjunction it.

The Committee noted that the Eleventh Conference might be held in the year 2000 in Paris, a final decision having to be made within one or two years.

The Committee took note of closing remarks by Mr. J.C.C. Bueno, President of INMETRO, and Mr. G.J. Faber, President of the CIML, and expressed its deep appreciation to INMETRO, to Mr. R.L. de Lima Guimarães, CIML Member for Brazil, and to all other persons involved for their perfect organization of the meeting.