International Committee for Weights and Measures

The International Committee for Weights and Measures is the English name of the Comité international des poids et mesures (CIPM, sometimes written in English Comité International des Poids et Mesures). It consists of eighteen persons from Member States of the Convention du Mètre (Metre Convention). Its principal task is to ensure world-wide uniformity in units of measurement and it does this by direct action or by submitting proposals to the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM, Conférence générale des poids et mesures). Note that the abbreviation ICWM does not exist.

A recent focus area of the CIPM has been the establishment of the CIPM Arrangement de reconnaissance mutuelle (Mutual Recognition Arrangement, MRA) which serves as the framework for the mutual acceptance of measurements performed in the Member States of the Metre Convention.

The CIPM meets annually at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM, Bureau international des poids et mesures), and discusses reports presented to it by its Consultative Committees. It issues an Annual Report on the administrative and financial position of the BIPM to the governments of the Member States of the Metre Convention.