PRESS RELEASE European Reference Materials (ERM®) Initiative ...

PRESS RELEASE
European Reference Materials (ERM ® ) Initiative launched:
Joining the efforts of reference material producers in Europe
A new European initiative aiming at harmonisation and further improvement of quality, reliability and
performance in chemical analysis was launched by three major reference material producers: the
Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) of the European Commission’s
Directorate General Joint Research Centre, the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung
(BAM), Germany, and the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC), UK.
The Director of the IRMM, Dr. Alejandro Herrero, the President of the BAM, Prof. Dr. Manfred
Hennecke and LGC´s Chief Executive, Dr. Richard Worswick, signed the Memorandum of
Understanding on the 8 th of October 2003 at IRMM headquarters in Geel, Belgium.
The ERM ® (European Reference Material) Initiative is aiming at
• the creation of a European brand of certified reference materials (ERM ® ) of high metrological
quality that receives world wide acceptance and recognition
• contributing to the European Research Area (ERA), by joining forces for further developing
specific competencies and co-ordinating resources of European certified reference material (CRM)
producers.
Reference materials are a key to ensure reliability and comparability of the results of chemical
analysis. They are a major tool for improving the confidence in, and the mutual recognition of test
results and certificates in a global market of free exchange of goods and services. CRMs comply with
high metrological requirements, ensuring traceability of measurement results, and in many cases form
the end-point of the traceability chain, thus being primary standards in chemistry. ERM ® are certified
reference materials, which undergo uncompromising peer evaluation by the ERM Technical Board and
offer highest quality and reliability.
Harmonisation and increased reliability through joining efforts in CRM production and dissemination will
significantly contribute to strengthen the European Internal Market. Furthermore, it will
• serve the public interest for a reliable European chemical measurement system
• and increase the support of European legislation and trade with high-quality CRMs.
The three founding members of the initiative envisage to enlarge the partnership by taking on board all
European CRM producers which are preparing, certifying and handling CRMs in full respect of ISO
Guides 34 and 35 and which are signatories, or designated laboratories, of the CIPM Mutual
Recognition Arrangement (MRA).
The ANALYTICA Fair, which will take place 11-14 May 2004 in Munich, Germany, will be the place for
the official launch of the initiative and a selected ERM ® product range.

For any further information, please contact:
• at the IRMM: Doris Florian or Sophie Roulette
European Commission
Joint Research Centre
Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements
phone: +32 / 14 / 57-272, 571-297
fax: +32 / 14 / 584-273
email: doris.florian@cec.eu.int, sophie.roulette@cec.eu.int
web: www.irmm.jrc.be
• at the LGC: Deborah Gaskell
Corporate Communications Manager
LGC
Tel: +44 (0)20 8943 7563
Fax: +44 (0)20 8943 2767
Email: deborah.gaskell@lgc.co.uk
web: www.lgc.co.uk
• at BAM: Jürgen Lexow
Office for Public Relations and Marketing
Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung
Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin
phone: +49 30 8104-1001
fax: +49 30 8104-3037
email: juergen.lexow@bam.de
Web: www.bam.de
or visit the ERM ® Initiative web site at http://www.erm-crm.org.
MoU 08.10.2003 – ERM 2/2