Abstract
The global economy and fair trade commitment has forced the need to demonstrate equivalence between national measurement standards. That includes a need to meet ever‐increasing demands for accuracy, range, and diversity of measurements. Recent activities of national metrology institutes (NMIs) are among the topics discussed in this article. These include mutual recognition of calibration and measurement certificates of NMIs under mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs), operated among NMIs under an international framework of five regional metrology organizations (RMOs). Particular attention is given to the efforts of Mexico's NMI, Centro Nacional de Metrologia (CENAM), to establish a national traceable measurement system for sectoral testing laboratories for agriculture. Other initiatives include proficiency testing in collaboration with the Colegio de Posgraduados, the intention being to promote development and certification of reference materials and to establish sectoral reference laboratories in the country.
Acknowledgments
The author expresses his gratitude to Judith Velina Lara‐Manzano, Ma. Del Rocio Arvizu‐Torres, and Francisco Segoviano‐Regalado for providing me with the data cited in . Special thanks are due to Laura E. Alvarez‐Rojas, who has developed the QME methodology at the early stage of development of the chemical metrology group at CENAM. Thanks are also due to Rosa Ma. Lopez and Dr. J. Etchevers of Colegio de Posgraduados of Mexico for their collaboration. Last but not least, the constant support of the chemical metrology program by Dr. Hector Nava‐Jaimes, general director of CENAM, and the constant effort of the members of the Materials Metrology Group, as well as the constant encouragement and permission to use some part of his views of Dr. Robert Kaarls, president of CCQM, are highly appreciated.