Report by the CIML President

Bobjoseph Mathew

METAS , Switzerland

Citation: B. Mathew 2026 OIML Bulletin LXVII(1) 20260104

Introduction

Since the 59th CIML Meeting, online in October 2024, the Organization has remained highly active, achieving significant progress across multiple areas. The breadth of important topics on our agenda this year is a clear testament to the continued relevance of legal metrology to our Members.

One of the key decisions before the Committee is the approval of the budget for the 2026–2029 period. Additionally, we will be confirming the mandates of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Digitalization Task Group for a further term.

Membership

Over the past twelve months, our membership has grown. I am pleased to report that one new Corresponding Member (Venezuela) has joined our Organization, underscoring the increasing importance of legal metrology to national economies. Moreover, no OIML Member States have been delisted since the last CIML Meeting.

As of today, the OIML comprises 64 Member States and 67 Corresponding Members.

I warmly welcome the following new CIML Members:

Albania Ms Alkida Llaka
Belarus Ms Alena Marhunova
Colombia Ms Beatriz Helena Sánchez Gomez
France Mr Sylvain Drouin
Republic of Korea Dr Soonpa Hong
Thailand Mr Wittayakorn Maneenetr
United Kingdom Ms Sophie George
United States Dr Katya Delak
Viet Nam Mr Nguyen Nam Hai

and new Corresponding Member Representatives:

Azerbaijan Mr Ilgar Hasanov
Bangladesh Mr Islam Shahinur
Kuwait Ms Aisha Rashed Al-Abdulhadi
Oman Mr Majid bin Nasser Al-Sinawi
Sierra Leone Dr John Paul Kaisam
Uganda Eng James Kasigwa
Venezuela Ms Peggy Alejandra Silva Rojas

Presidential Council

Mr Pedro Pérez Vargas, the former CIML Member from Colombia, served on the Presidential Council (PC) for one year. Having recently taken on a new role in his country, he has stepped down from both the PC and his position as Chairperson of the RLMO Round Table. I extend my sincere thanks to Mr Pérez-Vargas for his valuable contributions and active support of the OIML’s work, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

The PC convened online in March 2025 and held an in-person meeting in May 2025, focusing on financial, strategic, and operational matters. In addition to PC Members, the Chairpersons of the OIML Certification System (OIML-CS), the CEEMS Advisory Group (AG) and the Digitalization Task Group (DTG) also participated.

Key topics included preparations for the Conference, prioritization of publications and projects, and – critically – the budget for 2026–2029.

The need to accelerate the development of technical publications was acknowledged. One approach is that the BIML assumes the role of PG convener, as is the case with the revision of R 76.

Financial matters

The Organization’s financial position remains healthy and stable. However, the economic challenges faced by many Member States and Corresponding Members may have direct or indirect effects on the OIML. It is therefore essential that our resources are used judiciously to maximize impact and deliver value to our Members.

International cooperation

International cooperation remains a cornerstone of our Organization, especially in today’s complex global landscape.

The OIML participated in COP29 in Azerbaijan. Thanks to our collaboration with ISO and IEC, we shared a booth and hosted panel discussions with representatives from UNESCO, Azerbaijan’s standardization and metrology institutes, the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), the German Institute for Standardization (DIN), and the BIPM. This platform allowed us to highlight the importance of the global metrology system in advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and to showcase the benefits of quality infrastructure to a worldwide audience.

A major milestone this year was the celebration on 20 May of the 150th Anniversary of the Metre Convention. In November 2023 the UNESCO General Conference officially adopted World Metrology Day as a UNESCO International Day. This proposal, initiated by Kazakhstan and supported by 43 UNESCO Member States, along with BIPM and OIML, will significantly enhance global awareness of metrology’s role in daily life and aligns with UNESCO’s mission to build a better world through science and education.

Beyond our longstanding partnership with the BIPM, other collaborations are also worth noting. I attended the Inter Weighing event in Shanghai, organized by the China Weighing Instrument Association (CWIA), and the CECIP General Assembly in Frankfurt. On both occasions, I discussed the OIML’s support for the upcoming International Conference of Weighing (ICW) in 2026, continuing our involvement from ICW 2023.

I also participated in the Tenth OIML-CS Management Committee meeting in Prague, which was excellently hosted and highly productive.

In Suzhou, I joined an APLMF seminar on the OIML-CS. Strengthening ties with Regional Legal Metrology Organizations (RLMOs) remains a priority, and our Vice-Presidents and BIML colleagues are committed to attending RLMO committee meetings.

Additionally, I had the honour of speaking on the OIML’s contribution to international quality infrastructure at the Global Quality Conference in Nanjing, attended by the ISO President and the IAF Chair, along with many high-level representatives from international organizations and governments. Last but not least, I am pleased to inform you that OIML has joined the AIQI Consortium. This global initiative aims to promote open dialogue and collaboration, supporting global quality infrastructure bodies in ensuring the safe, secure, and ethical development of AI technologies.

In closing

I express my heartfelt thanks to the two Vice-Presidents, the Presidential Council Members, the Director, Assistant Directors, the BIML team, and the Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons of the OIML-CS, the CEEMS AG, and the DTG, as well as all TC/SC/PG members.

Your dedication and support throughout the year have been instrumental to our success. Your engagement truly makes a difference.

Thank you very much!