The International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML), founded in 1955, is a worldwide, international intergovernmental organization which engages in legal metrology. The main tasks of OIML are:
1. To develop general principles of legal metrology, which may serve as references for countries to develop their own legal metrology systems.
2. To formulate “International Recommendations” and facilitate countries to harmonize their legal metrology requirements over measuring instruments.
3. To promote the exchange and cooperation among legal metrology bodies in different countries.
4. To facilitate member states to mutually accept or recognize the instruments and measurement results that satisfy OIML requirements.
The structure of OIML includes the International Conference on Legal Metrology, the International Committee of Legal Metrology (CIML), the International Bureau of Legal Metrology (BIML) and relevant technical work organizations. The International Conference on Legal Metrology is the highest decision-making body in the Organization, responsible for developing OIML policies and approving International Recommendations. CIML is the functional decision-making body of the Organization, responsible for guiding and supervising all OIML work. CIML is consisted of a representative of each of the member states, the Committee meeting is held annually to discuss the execution of work in the past year and make preparations for the next year. In the conference, CIML members shall represent their countries to exercise their rights, participate in discussion and make votes. BIML is the Secretariat and headquarters of the OIML, with its office located in Paris, France. BIML is responsible for preparing OIML-related international meetings, implementing decisions of the Conference and Committee, and carrying out day to day work of OIML. As an international intergovernmental organization, OIML is working closely with other international and regional legal metrology organizations as well.
As the new OIML Certification System (OIML-CS) is promoted, the influence of OIML keeps expanding throughout the world. It is definite that more countries and organizations will join in OIML.