This release is available in German.
Research institutes from 22 states much rather want to concentrate all their existing strength in joint projects in the future and create the freedom to find solutions to current research work.
Metrology is the science of correct measurement. As we can only manufacture and re-search that which we can also measure, metrology represents the basis of as good as every further research and development of advanced technology – be this in medicine, in the energy sector, protecting the environment or in high-tech industry.
"The coordinated, joint research of the European metrology institutes is the only way to be able to face up to future tasks", says Prof. Dr. Ernst O. Göbel, President of the Physi-kalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). "In this way we will bring together the best minds from one research area." PTB, based in Braunschweig and Berlin, is Germany's national metrology institute and will - due to its size - cover around a third of the pro-gramme. The European research programme with the abbreviation EMRP (European Me-trology Research Programme) will be coordinated by Euramet e.V., the joint umbrella organization of metrology institutes in Europe, which is also based in Braunschweig.
Last year 21 joint projects began, from nanotechnology, cancer therapy and highly pre-cise length measurements to the re-definition of the kilogram, in the framework of ERA-NET-plus support – as a test run for the much more extensive EMRP, which has now been decided on in the European Parliament. Erika Mann, who as a delegate of the Social De-mocratic Party of Germany (SPD) significantly advanced the decision-making process in the European Parliament over the last few years, is pleased: "It is good that the Parlia-ment has given its approval to promoting the EMRP even earlier than expected. Impor-tant projects can now be initiated quickly."
On 18 May from 2:00 pm till 4:00 pm, a press conference on this subject will be held at PTB Braunschweig. You will receive a separate invitation to this event in the next few weeks.
Contact at PTB:
Dr. Robert Wynands, Presidential Board
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
Bundesallee 100, 38116 Braunschweig
Tel.: +49 531 592 1009 E-mail: robert.wynands@ptb.de
Additional links
EURAMET on the Internet: www.euramet.org
You can find a complete list of all the projects started in the European association to date (supported by ERANET-plus to date) at: http://www.euramet.org/index.php?id=jrps