Sistema Int De Unidades

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Bureau International
des Poids et Mesures

The International
System of Units
(SI)

8th edition

2006

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Organisation Intergouvernementale
de la Convention du Mètre

94

Note on the use of the English text

To make its work more widely accessible, the International
Committee for Weights and Measures has decided to publish anEnglish version of its reports. Readers should note that the
official record is always that of the French text. This must be
used when an authoritative reference is required or when there is
doubt about the interpretation of the text.
Translations, complete or partial, of this brochure (or of its earlier
editions) have been published in various languages, notably in
Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech,English, German, Japanese, Korean,
Portuguese, Romanian, and Spanish. The ISO and numerous
countries have also published standards and guides to the use of
SI units.

95

The BIPM
and the Metre Convention

The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) was set up by the Metre
Convention signed in Paris on 20 May 1875 by seventeen States during the final
session of thediplomatic Conference of the Metre. This Convention was amended in
1921.
The BIPM has its headquarters near Paris, in the grounds (43 520 m2) of the Pavillon
de Breteuil (Parc de Saint-Cloud) placed at its disposal by the French Government; its
upkeep is financed jointly by the Member States of the Metre Convention.
The task of the BIPM is to ensure worldwide unification of measurements; its
functionis thus to:
•
•
•
•

establish fundamental standards and scales for the measurement of the principal
physical quantities and maintain the international prototypes;
carry out comparisons of national and international standards;
ensure the coordination of corresponding measurement techniques;
carry out and coordinate measurements of the fundamental physical constants
relevant to theseactivities.

The BIPM operates under the exclusive supervision of the International Committee
for Weights and Measures (CIPM) which itself comes under the authority of the
General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) and reports to it on the work
accomplished by the BIPM.
Delegates from all Member States of the Metre Convention attend the General
Conference which, at present, meets everyfour years. The function of these meetings
is to:
•

•
•

discuss and initiate the arrangements required to ensure the propagation and
improvement of the International System of Units (SI), which is the modern form
of the metric system;
confirm the results of new fundamental metrological determinations and various
scientific resolutions of international scope;
take all major decisionsconcerning the finance, organization and development of
the BIPM.

The CIPM has eighteen members each from a different State: at present, it meets
every year. The officers of this committee present an annual report on the
administrative and financial position of the BIPM to the Governments of the Member
States of the Metre Convention. The principal task of the CIPM is to ensure
worldwideuniformity in units of measurement. It does this by direct action or by
submitting proposals to the CGPM.

As of 31 December 2005,
fifty-one States were
members of this
Convention: Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon,
Canada, Chile, China,
Czech Republic, Denmark,
Dominican Republic,
Egypt, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary,
India, Indonesia,Iran
(Islamic Rep. of), Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea
(Dem. People's Rep. of),
Korea (Rep. of), Malaysia,
Mexico, The Netherlands,
New Zealand, Norway,
Pakistan, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russian
Federation, Serbia and
Montenegro, Singapore,
Slovakia, South Africa,
Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand,
Turkey, United Kingdom,
United States, Uruguay, and
Venezuela.
Twenty...