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Metrology research programme has taken the first hurdle

The European Commission proposes to the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers a funding of more than 200 million euros

15.12.2008

The plan of a large European metrology research programme has taken the first hurdle and has won the approval of the European Commission. The 22 national metrology institutes, among which is the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), are crossing their fingers that also the two hurdles still remaining in the political evaluation process will be taken: the approval of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. Because the Commission has worked out a proposal which can significantly influence the future research and development in the metrology centers. The question is: will the unilateral approach of the individual countries continue or will the European network succeed for the benefit of all parties involved? The European Commission advocates such a Europe-wide cooperation of the research partners and would provide funding of this Europeanization of metrology, the science of measurement, in the amount of 200 million euros. The advising and evaluation process beginning now in the European committees is supported there by the European parliamentarian Erika Mann (SPD), who has been appointed by Parliament as reporter in this matter.

In the course of several years of work, the national metrology institutes have created all the preconditions to in future have a joint approach to their research and development tasks. Thus, the institutes have united to form the association EURAMET e.V. and are already working together on numerous research projects - so to speak, as a test of the large goal aimed at of a European metrology research programme (European Metrology Research Programme, EMRP). The integration of the individual national research programmes under one collective roof will also be necessary for a multitude of upcoming challenges in order to arrive at efficient solutions. From climate change to public health, from nanotechnology to biotechnology - all these fields also call for optimum possibilities of measurement and collective ideas and efforts in matters of research and development.

The previous results have apparently satisfied the Commission so that they would be prepared to provide half of the financing for this research programme, the total volume of which amounts to 400 million euros. The other half would be provided by the national metrology institutes. Whether this will happen will be decided in the coming months. To begin with, the parliamentary committee on "Industry, Research and Energy" will deliberate on it, before the Parliament - presumably in April 2009 - votes on it. Until then, the suspense in the national metrology institutes will remain high and fingers will remain crossed.

For further information:

Prof. Dr. Michael Kühne
Member of the Presidential Board
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
Bundesallee 100
38116 Braunschweig
Tel.: +49 531 592-3001
E-mail: michael.kuehne(at)ptb.de

Dr. Jörn Stenger
Presidential Board
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
Bundesallee 100
38116 Braunschweig
Tel.: +49 531 592-1009
E-mail: joern.stenger(at)ptb.de

Further current PTB news:
  • New Year's Eve is extended (Dec. 8th)
  • The Graduators - new issue of the "maßstäbe" published (Nov. 25th)
  • Pioneering achievements in metrology (Nov. 25th)
  • Electronic files in perpetuity (Nov. 13th)
  • When the fortissimo causes one's ears to ring (Nov. 10th)

You will find the news directly on the PTB homepage: http://www.ptb.de/

Author: Erika Schow