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INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
Written
agreements between NIST and foreign
agencies and organizations, known as international agreements (IAs)
must be reviewed and cleared by the Deputy Chief Counsel to ensure that
statutory authority exists for the proposed IA and that NIST's legal
interests are protected. All proposed IAs must also be reviewed and
cleared through the Office
of International and Academic Affairs (OIAA), which has jurisdiction
over NIST's cooperative activities with foreign countries. These two
offices will coordinate their reviews to determine whether the proposed
IA requires interagency review, which is conducted by the Department
of State.
The following international agreement (IA) types includes a description of the agreement, appropriate titles for specific instances and appropriate levels of signature. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Protocol: These title should only be used for binding agency-to agency international agreements that commit both parties to specific actions, such as the protection of intellectual property. This type of agreement is typically broad in scope and would cover any cooperative activity between NIST and the foreign entities. MOUs/Protocols must be signed by the Deputy Director of NIST or higher. Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA): An MRA should be used when NIST and the foreign laboratory or agency agree that they are competent to carry out a specific measurement or accreditation , and those measurement or accreditations will be acceptable in each others' countries. MRA's should be signed by the Deputy Director of NIST or higher. Cooperative Research Project (CRP): This title should be used when a research project commits both parties to specific activities but is not under a the auspices of a pre-existing MOU. This would be a binding project agreement. CRP's should be signed by the Laboratory Director or his/her designee. Implementing Arrangements or Project Annexes: Implementing Arrangements or Project Annexes should be used to describe a specific research project or activity under an existing MOU or Protocol. Implementing Arrangements or Project Annexes should be signed by the Laboratory Director or his/her designee. Statement of Intent or Statement of Interest: Statements of Intent or Statements of Interest indicate that the two sides intend to cooperate in areas of mutual interest, or to explore areas of mutual interest. This would not be a binding document and would not commit either party to any specific activity. Statement of Intent or Statement of Interest should be signed by the Division Chief or higher. Record of Discussion (RoD): These would be informal documents describing discussions that have taken place that do not commit either party to any specific activity. These should be used only when both parties agree that they would like some record of their discussions. RoD's should be signed by the principals involved. The following table is a list of NIST's international agreements. In order to view some of the documents on this website, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader, Version 3.01. If you do not have it, you can download a free copy. If you would like to receive a hard copy of any of the documents listed below, please contact the NIST Office of International and Academic Affairs at 301-975-3071 or e-mail Joy Foster at joy.foster@nist.gov. |
COUNTRY | DATE SIGNED | TERMINATION DATE | COMMENTS |
---|---|---|---|
Argentina | September 30, 2002 | September 29, 2007 | MOU [pdf] with the National Institute for Industrial Technology (INTI) of the Secretariat of Industry for cooperation in chemistry, physics, and engineering measurement science. |
Brazil | April 10, 2002 | April 9, 2007 | MOU [pdf] with the National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (INMETRO) for cooperation in chemistry, physics and engineering measurement sciences. |
Brazil | May 5, 2000 | May 4, 2005 | MOU with the Instituto de Pesquisas Technologicas (IPT) for technical cooperation in chemistry, physics, and engineering measurement sciences. |
Canada | March 23, 1992 | indefinite | MOU with the Communication Security Establishment (CSE) in information security. |
Canada | May 23, 1992 | indefinite | MOU with the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) in standards and metrology. |
Canada | April 28, 1992 | indefinite | MOU with the Canada Treasury Board Secretariat, Administrative Policy Branch in standardization supporting government administration. |
Czech Republic | September 3, 1999 | September 2, 2004 | MOU with the Czech Office for Standards, Metrology, and Testing (COSMT). |
Ecuador | June 10, 1999 | June 9, 2004 | MOU with the Ecuadorian Institute Standardization (INEN) for cooperation in chemistry, physics, engineering measurements. |
Egypt | December 16, 1996 | April 21, 2007 | MOU with the National Institute for Standards (NIS) for cooperation in measurement sciences in chemistry, physics and engineering related to standards and conformity assessment. |
Finland | May 30, 2002 | May 29, 2007 | MOU [pdf] with the National Technology Agency of the Republic of Finland for cooperation in manufacturing engineering, information technology, materials science, building technology and engineering measurement sciences, standards-related activities and interchange of technical information and experiences. |
Germany | May 12, 2000 | May 11, 2005 | MOU [pdf] with Physikalish-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and the Bundesanstalt fur Materialforshung und-Prufung (BAM) for scientific and technical cooperation in chemistry, physics and engineering measurement sciences, materials technology, standards-related activities and the interchange of technical information and experiences. |
Indonesia | November 16, 1994 | indefinite | MOU between the Department of Commerce and the Ministry of State for Research and Technology. The Implementing Agencies are NIST and the National Standardization Council (DSN) for cooperation in standards, metrology, and conformity. |
Japan | October 29, 1999 | October 28, 2004 | MOU with the Nippon Telephone and Telegraph Corporation (NTT) for cooperation in basic science and telecommunications. |
Kenya | December 3, 1998 | December 3, 2003 | MOU with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for technical cooperation in chemistry, physics, and engineering measurement sciences. |
Korea | April 1, 2000 | March 31, 2005 | MOU with the Korean Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) for cooperation in chemistry, physics, and engineering measurement sciences. |
Korea | May 9, 2000 | May 8, 2005 | MOU [pdf] with the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards for cooperation relating to standardization, conformity assessment and legal metrology. |
Russia | March 23, 1998 | March 22, 2003 | MOU with the State Committee of the Russian Federation for Standardization, Metrology and Certification (GOSSTANDARDT) for cooperation in standards, conformity and metrology. |
Russia | July 16, 1996 | under negotiation | MOU with the Russian Academy of Sciences for cooperation on chemistry, physics and engineering sciences. |
Saudi Arabia |
July 29, 2000 |
July 28, 2008 |
MOU with Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO) for technical cooperation in standards and related activities. |
South Africa | July 23, 1996 | July 22, 2006 | MOU [pdf] (extension) [pdf] with the CSIR, a Body Corporate established in terms of the Scientific Research Council Act 1988 for cooperation in chemistry, physics and engineering measurement sciences. |
NIST/AIT | January 2, 1997 | indefinite | Cooperative Program in Physical Sciences between the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the U.S. |
Multilateral | May 15, 1990 | indefinite | MOU with six countries to establish COMAR-computer access to Certified Reference Materials (CRM). |
Multilateral | January 25, 1995 | indefinite | MOU with the twenty-seven countries in five regions (NORAMET, CAMET, CARIMET, ANDIMET and SURAMET) of the Interamerican Metrology System. |
Multilateral | March 10, 1996 | March 11, 2005 | MOU with the Standardization and Metrology Organization for the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries for technical cooperation in standards activities. |
Regional | April 4, 1995 | April 3, 2002 | MOU for Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC). |
Regional | April 29, 1994 | April 28, 1999 | MOU with Canada and Mexico to establish North American Calibration Cooperation (NACC) calibrations and metrology. |
Regional | April 29, 1994 | April 28, 1999 | MOU with Canada and Mexico to establish measurement services in North America (NORAMET). |
Regional | April 26, 2000 | April
25, 2002 (automatic two year renewal) |
MOU [pdf] with Asia-Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF). |
COUNTRY | DATE SIGNED |
TERMINATION DATE |
COMMENTS |
---|---|---|---|
Canada | August 9, 1995 | indefinite | Implementing Agreement with the Communication Security Establishment (CSE) for cryptographic module validation. |
Canada | October 15, 1997 |
October 14, 1999 |
Statement of Intent with the Institute for Research in Construction of the National Research Council. |
People's Republic of China | January 16, 1995 | January 15, 2000 | Protocol with the State Bureau of Technical Supervision (SBTS) for cooperation in standards and metrology. |
Czech Republic | April 26, 1993 |
indefinite | Implementing Agreement with the Prague Institute of Chemical Technology (PICT). |
European Union | October 5, 1999 | October 4, 2004 | Implementing Arrangement [pdf] for cooperation in the fields of metrology and measurement standards. |
Germany | March 27, 1995 |
indefinite | Statement of Intent on recognition of traceability of measurement standards with the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). |
Germany |
June 24, 1997 |
December 31, 2002 |
Cooperative Project among Fachinformationszentrum Karlsruhe (FIZ) and Gmelin-Institute fur Anorganische Chemie der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Wissenschaften to develop a crysrallographic structural database for inorganic substances. |
Hungary | November 22, 1984 |
indefinite | Implementing Agreement under Article II and III of the Agreement on Cooperation in Culture, Education, Science and Technology for exchange of scientists, and information with the Research Institute for Technical Physics. |
Hungary | October 4, 1994 |
October 3, 1999 | Projects under umbrella US-Hungary Science and Technology agreement joint fund. |
Japan | March 21, 1996 | indefinite | Project agreement with the Communications Research Laboratory to pursue contractual arrangement to construct and evaluate an optically pumped primary frequency standard. (PL) |
Japan | February 17, 1997 | February 21, 1999 | Implementing Agreement with the National Aerospace Laboratory Kakuda Research Center under the US-Japan Agreement for Science and Technology to compare measurement techniques to determine the thermal conductivity of ceramic coatings on metallic substrates. |
Japan | January 30, 2003 | January 29, 2008 | Cooperation Agreement [pdf] with the National Institute for Materials Science of Japan concerning technical cooperation in the fields of materials science and engineering mesurement sciences. |
Japan | July 17, 2001 | July 16, 2006 | Cooperation Agreement [pdf] with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology for cooperation in the fields of measurement standards. |
Korea | August 16, 1993 | August 15, 1998 | Agreement with Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) for cooperation in materials science. (MSEL) |
Korea | August 14, 1995 | August 13, 1998 | Project Annex to the MOU with the Korean Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) for cooperation in laser spectroscopy. (CSTL) |
Korea | July 8, 2003 | July 7, 2006 (extended) | Project Annex [pdf] to the MOU with the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) on determination of comparability of Korean and U.S. test methods and tools for B2B software intergration. Extension [pdf] |
Korea | July 13, 2004 | July 12, 2005 | Project Annex [pdf] to the MOU with the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) on development of nano-bio reference materials and measurements using flouresence semiconductor nanocrystals. |
Korea | April 26, 2001 | May 8, 2005 | Project Annex [pdf] to the MOU with the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards on determination of comparability of Korean and U.S. standards for testing wood frame assemblies. |
Korea | July 16, 2004 | - | Statement of Intent [pdf] with the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS). |
Mexico | December 4, 1996 | January 20, 2007 | Implementing Agreement (1996) [pdf] (Extension (2002) [pdf])with the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT), the Secretary of Commerce and Industrial Development (SECOFI) and the National Center for Metrology (CENAM) for cooperation in chemistry, physics, engineering measurement sciences, and standards related activities. |
Mexico | July 13, 1999 |
January 20, 2007 | Project
Annex [pdf] with CENAM for Mutual Recognition of Measurement Capabilities. |
The Netherlands | August 10, 1999 | October 17, 2004 | Memorandum of Cooperation with The Netherlands Measurement Institute (NMi) to demonstrate intercomparison of primary gas mixtures. |
The Netherlands | September 16, 1999 |
July 1, 2004 |
Declaration of Equivalence with the Netherlands Measurements Institute-NMi for primary standard gas mixture. (CSTL and TS) |
Republic of South Africa | May 19, 1998 | July 22, 2001 | Annex with CSIR of the Republic of South Africa concerning Technical Cooperation in Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering Sciences. |
Russia | August 20, 1997 | August 19, 1998 | Implementing Agreement with the Russian State Metrological and Certification Analytical Center (ANTECH) a unit of the Russian Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Certification (GOSSTANDART) to update the Standard Reference Database on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). (TS) |
Russia | November 9, 1994 | November 8, 2003 | Letter of Agreement with the Institute of Experimental Meteorology SPA Typhoon to develop ocean based reference materials. (PL) |
Russia | March 28, 1997 |
March 27, 2000 |
Implementing Agreement with the Institute of Crystallography of the Russian Academy of Sciences for cooperation to study neutron and X-ray reflectivity properties of the structure and mechanism of formation of Langmuir-Blodgett films. |
American Institute in Taiwan/Taiwan | November 2, 1994 | indefinite | Implementing Agreement with the Telecommunications Laboratories (TL) through American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) or (CCNAA) for telecommunications. (ITL) |
American Institute in Taiwan/Taiwan | February 16, 2001 | - | Implementing Agreement [pdf] between the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office for technical cooperation on neutron scattering research. |
Multilateral | September 3, 2001 | January 2004 | Research Cooperation Agreement [pdf] between the National Microelectronics Center of Spain, Nanotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology of Japan, and NIST. |
Multilateral | May 1, 1992 | - | International accord with France, UK, Italy, Canada, Japan, Germany and the EC- VAMAS- for cooperation on materials science. |
Multilateral | December 10, 1997 |
indefinite |
Mutual Recognition Agreement with the Asian Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation. |
Multilateral | October 1, 1996 | January 1, 1999 | Statement of Intent with the Danish Institute of Fundamental Metrology and Hungarian National Office of Measures on intercomparison of electrolytic conductivity solutions. (CSTL) |
Multilateral CIPM MRA | October 14, 1999 | indefinite | Mutual Recognition Arrangement between National Metrology Institutes for recognition of National Measurement Standards and of Calibrations, and Measurement Certificates. |
Multilateral | October 5, 1999 | October 4, 2004 | Implementing Arrangement with the European Commission for Cooperation in the fields of Metrology and Measurement Standards. |
Multilateral | November 2, 2000 | - | Mutual Recognition Arrangement [pdf] with the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) to enhance trade. |
Regional | October 31, 1997 | - | Memorandum of Cooperation [pdf] between the Inter-American Metrology System (SIM) and the Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) to cover the fields of international and regional metrology and metrology related activities. |
Regional | September 10, 1999 | September 9, 2004 | Memorandum of Arrangement with NORAMET on Calibration and Measurement Certificates of NMi's. |
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