News

On 20 May, the global metrology community celebrates World Metrology Day, marking the anniversary of the signature of the Metre Convention in 1875, the international agreement that established the foundation for global collaboration in measurement science.

This year’s theme – Metrology: Building Trust in Policy Making – highlights the vital role metrology has in creating the policies that enable fair trade, consumer safety, environmental protection and cooperation between countries. Metrology provides the evidence needed for policy makers to take informed, transparent and enforceable decisions.

At the heart of this work are National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) and Designated Institutes (DIs) alongside key international bodies. This includes the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML) and regional organisations such as EURAMET, the European Association of National Metrology Institutes, and WELMEC, the European Cooperation in Legal Metrology. Together, they ensure that measurement results are accurate, comparable, and trusted across borders.

Strengthening evidence-based decisions across Europe
In Europe, trust in policy making is reinforced through the coordinated efforts of the European Quality Infrastructure Network (EQUIN). By combining expertise in metrology, standardisation, accreditation, and conformity assessment, EQUIN provides a comprehensive framework that supports high-quality, evidence-based policy decisions at both national and European levels.

EQUIN brings together key European organisations, including the European metrology organisations EURAMET and WELMEC, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), the European Committee for electrotechnical standardization (CENELEC), the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), the Product Safety Forum of Europe (PROSAFE) and EUROLAB.

Members of the European Quality Infrastructure Network play a vital role in supporting European policy making by providing scientific and technical expertise that strengthens regulatory frameworks. Their contributions help ensure that policies are grounded in sound evidence, enabling governments and institutions to address complex societal challenges, from climate change and digital transformation to health, safety, and sustainability.

The European Quality Infrastructure Network joins the global metrology community in celebrating World Metrology Day 2026, recognising the indispensable role of measurement in building trust and confidence in policy making.

Dolores del Campo, EURAMET’s Chairperson:
“In an increasingly complex world, citizens demand transparency and fairness from their governments. On this year’s World Metrology Day, the metrology community underscores that accurate, traceable, and harmonised measurements are essential to ensure fairness in both the development and enforcement of public policies.

Whether establishing legal limits for environmental emissions, ensuring safety standards in healthcare, or maintaining equity in global trade, metrology provides an unbiased, verifiable scientific truth. By relying on flawless data, policymakers can design regulations that treat all citizens, industries, and stakeholders with equal fairness, eliminating ambiguity and bias.”

Jan Deconinck, Chairperson of WELMEC:
“World Metrology Day reminds us that trust in policy begins with trust in measurement. In a rapidly changing economy – from digital measuring instruments to e-mobility, renewable energy and new market models – legal metrology must ensure that innovation remains fair, transparent and reliable.
WELMEC is committed to supporting a consistent European approach that protects citizens, strengthens confidence in trade and helps regulation keep pace with technological change.”

Cinzia Missiroli, Acting Director General, CEN and CENELEC:
“A robust Quality Infrastructure is the backbone of a high-performing Single Market, ensuring the safety and reliability of products for all citizens. Within the EQUIN network, CEN and CENELEC serve as the key standardization pillar. We build trust in policymaking by providing a transparent, consensus-based platform that translates high-level European regulations into concrete technical standards – standards that ultimately rely on the precision and certainty of metrology to be effectively measured, verified, and enforced across Europe.”

Andreas Steinhorst, Executive Secretary, European co-operation for Accreditation:
“On 20 May 2026, the international community celebrates World Metrology Day under the theme “Metrology: Building Trust in Policy Making”. The theme highlights the importance of reliable measurements in supporting evidence-based policymaking, innovation, trade and public confidence. The World Metrology Day commemorates the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875, which established the foundation for global cooperation in measurement science. Today, metrology plays a vital role in areas such as healthcare, climate action, energy, digitalisation and consumer protection.
The European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) joins the metrology community in recognising the importance of metrology within the Quality Infrastructure. Together with accreditation, conformity assessment, standardisation and market surveillance, metrology builds confidence in products, services, regulations and public policies.”

Ioana Sandu, Executive Director, Prosafe:
“Building trust in policy starts with confidence in the facts. In our work at PROSAFE, accurate and reliable measurements provide the objective evidence that market surveillance authorities need to make sound decisions and enforce the rules consistently. Metrology is therefore much more than a technical discipline, it is a foundation for credible policy, fair competition and consumer trust across the EU and the EEA.”

Andreas Kinzel, EUROLAB President:
“On the occasion of the World Metrology Day 2026, EUROLAB celebrates the vital role of laboratories and metrology in providing accurate and valid data, which represents the foundation for building sustainable, trustworthy, and reality-anchored policies. Testing supports accurate policies by ensuring integrity and precision through reliable measurements. Happy World Metrology Day 2026!”

The World Metrology Day project is realised jointly by BIPM and OIML. For a global overview on World Metrology Day activities and a joint message from the directors of the BIPM and the International Bureau of Legal Metrology (BIML), please visit the dedicated BIPM & OIML website.