SIM Council Meeting
January 13th, 2003
Royal Antiguan Resort
 

Deep Bay - Antigua and Barbuda
DRAFT MINUTES

ATTENDANCE LIST

COUNCIL MEMBERS

Felipe Urresta President SIM, INEN
Ismael Castelazo Chairman SIM TC, CENAM
Yoshito Mitani, Chairman, SIM PDC, CENAM
Hratch Semerjian SIM/JCRB Representative, NIST
Steve Carpenter Technical Advisor, NIST
Oscar Harasic Executive Secretary, OAS
José A. Dajes Castro Coordinator ANDIMET, INDECOPI
Luis Mussio Coordinator SURAMET, LATU
Hermon Edmondson Coordinator CARIMET, BSJ
Paulo Ferracioli On behalf of Past President, INMETRO
Taynah Lopes de Souza On behalf of SIM Secretariat, INMETRO

OBSERVERS

Jorge Cruz INMETRO, Brazil

AGENDA
1. Introduction and Welcome / Introdución y Bienvenida
2. Verification of Quorum / Verificación de Quórum
3. Approval of Agenda / Aprobación de Agenda
4. Approval of the Minutes from previous Council Meeting / Aprobación de la Acta de la Reunión Anterior del Consejo
5. Matters arising from the Minutes / Asuntos derivados de la Acta
6. Report on 2002 Budget and Redistribution of Remaining Funds among Working Groups / Informe sobre el Presupuesto de 2002 y Redistribution de los Fundos Restantes entre los Grupos de Trabajo
7. Definition of SIM Activities with the 2003 OAS Project / Definición de las Actividades del SIM con el Proyecto de la OEA 2003
8. OAS Project Preparation for fiscal year 2004 / Preparación del Proyecto de OAS por eyercicio económico 2004.
9. Scholarship and Training / Propuesta de Becas y Treinamientos
10. Designation of a Working Group for organizing next GA / Designación de um grupo de trabajo para la organización de la GA
11. Report from SIM Representative to JCRB / Informe del Representante del SIM
12. Request of CAMET to install and to put in operation the SIMNET / Petición de CAMET para instalar y poner en operación el SIMNET
13. Proposal for the central subject of GA/2003 presented by Panama / Propuesta del tema central de la GA/2003 presentada por Panama
14. Request of SIM support to make an event related to the inauguration of the Guatemala Metrological Center, December/2003 / Solicitación de apoyo al SIM para realizar evento relativo a inauguración del Centro Metrológico de Guatemala, Deciembre/2003
15. Proposal of a new SIM Project 2004-2006 "Metrology for the Development of the Subregions" / Propuesta de nuevo proyecto SIM 2004-2006 "Metrología para el Desarrollo de las Subregiones"
16. SIM International Relationships / Relaciones Internacionales de SIM:
- SIM Representation to NCSLI Meeting
- SIM Representation to EUROMET Meeting
- SIM Participation at the CGPM
17. Discussion on the Language used in SIM Meetings / Discusión sobre la lengua usada en reuniones de SIM
18. Other Business / Otros Asuntos

Meeting:

1. Introduction and Welcome / Introdución y Bienvenida
President Felipe Urresta welcomed the Council Members.

2. Verification of Quorum / Verificación de Quórum
The quorum was verified, eleven members of Council being present.

3. Aproval of Agenda / Aprobación de la Agenda
The agenda was approved with no amendments.

4. Approval of the minutes from previous Council Meeting / Aprobación de la Acta de la Reunión Anterior del Consejo
The minutes were approved with the following amendments:
Taynah Souza should be listed in the Council Members as Recording Secretary.
Discussion about CR11/02. Ismael Castelazo raised the point of discussion the resolution a bit more.
After some discussion, it was decided to keep the Resolution the way it is as it was agreed that SIM interactions should be made only with NMI's or the laboratories designated by them.
Item 5: a letter should be sent not just for Janusz Luztyk and Karen Brown but also to Joaquin Valdés and Giorgi Moscati.
Hratch Semerjian mentioned that the letter should contain not just congratulation but also a position paper explaining to CIPM the SIM activities.

5. Matters arising from the minutes / Asuntos derivados de la Acta
A position paper on SIM activities shall be prepared to be sent to members of CIPM. Felipe Urresta and Taynah Souza are going to prepare it.
Felipe Urresta pointed out that the presentation to NCSLI meeting shall be prepared in accordance to CR09/02.
Felipe Urresta is going to prepare a letter asking all NMIs to send an updated list of designated laboratories to the secretary, in accordance to CR11/02.

6. Report on 2002 Budget and Redistribution of Remaining Funds among Working Groups / Informe sobre el Presupuesto de 2002 y Redistribution de los Fundos Restantes entre los Grupos de Trabajo
Steve Carpenter explained that the third disbursement from OAS - 20% of the total amount approved - shall be liberated within two or three weeks. Luis Mussio informed that the money left with LATU was around US$ 12,000.00, but that US$ 3,000.00 were already committed to some expenses related to the General Assembly held in Chile. Therefore we have around US$ 9,000.00 left to be redistributed.
Ismael Castelazo then made a presentation on how the money is spent within the Technical Committee, specially related to per diem and air fares for some meetings to different countries.
Steve Carpenter raised the issue of the supporting letter to the budget. He mentioned that for last year only 19 countries sent this letter and that this represented a problem for keeping OAS support. They have reduced the budget because of the reduced number of countries supporting the project.
It was raised the point of obtaining extra funds - like a cooperation project between Brazil and Bolivia. But Steve Carpenter explained that for OAS funds the projects should be multinational.
Hratch Semerjian proposed that all letters of support should have a copy sent to Oscar Harasic in OAS too. The Coordinator of the subregions shall be responsible to get the letters from the NMIs. The Council agreed on this issue that shall now be a Council recommendation to the NMIs.
The Secretary must send a letter to all NMIs asking them to send a support letter for OAS.

Resolution 01/03:Council must prepare a document for OAS's final report.

Steve Carpenter, Luis Mussio and Ismael Castelazo shall later decide how to spend the money left during the next 3 months.

7. Definition of SIM Activities with the 2003 OAS Project / Definición de las Actividades del SIM con el Proyecto de la OEA 2003
Steve Carpenter presented the Executive Plan for 2003, showing the reduction on OAS funds from US$ 250,000.00 to US$ 180,000.00. He showed the difference between SIM proposal and CENPES proposal and then mentioned he intends to send a report to OAS explaining why CENPES proposal is not enough for SIM activities.
It was decided to accept CENPES proposal and use the US$ 35,000.00 left that Steve Carpenter has from USA contribution. This amount must be spent by the end of July.
Ismael Castelazo informed the Council that he had received the proposals with the funding requests from three Working Groups only: WG1- Electricity and Magnetism (US$ 35,000.00), WG4- Length (US$ 12,000.00) and WG9-Acoustics, Ultrasound and Vibration (US$ 11,000.00).
There was some discussion on the requests. The money requested by WG1 was considered as too much. The money requested by WG4 was for the organization of a seminar in Costa Rica and it was well seen but with the idea of including other WGs. The money requested by WG9 was for a intercomparison but the CR01/02 does not allow SIM money to be spent on interconparisons, except for the purchase of artifacts that can be used for other SIM activities.
Hratch Smerjian proposed a modification on this resolution as follows:

Resolution 02/03:Participation in Key comparisons will not be supported with SIM funds, execpt for buying artifacts that could be used for other SIM activities and in exceptional cases for transport of delicate artifacts.

The resolution was preliminary approved by all Council Members except for SURAMET Coordinator who asked for some time to discuss such modification in the subregion. It's agreed that the resolution will be approved only after SURAMET agrees, what shall happen in February.
It was also pointed out that further discussion shall be made to decide on the distribution among Working Groups and decide what can be financed or not.

8. OAS Project Preparation for fiscal year 2004 / Preparación del Proyecto de OAS por eyercicio económico 2004.
Oscar Harasic informed that the deadline for submissions was July 15th and that the same committee shall be responsible for that - Luis Mussio, Steve Carpenter, Oscar Harasic and Ismael Castelazo.
The Council must start thinking of some broad topics to the project. It was suggested some topics like Quality System and FTAA.
It shall be discussed during next GA.

9. Scholarship and Training / Propuesta de Becas y Treinamientos
Oscar Harasic explained that the Scholarship Office from OAS is now independent from the Agency and will be able to take their own decisions. He also pointed out that countries that have already got an infraestructure for courses should offer them for the participation of all members and OAS would pay for part of these courses for the participants. NMIs must present the vacancies they have for their courses to OAS.
Felipe Urresta shall send a letter of support for this program.

10. Designation of a Working Group for organizing next GA / Designación de um grupo de trabajo para la organización de la GA
It was pointed out that the organization of the General Assembly is a SIM event and the Council is the responsible for this organization. There are local arrangements but the hosting country is not the responsible for the main decisions.
A resolution was proposed by Paulo Ferracioli about the designation of a Working Group for organizing next GA as follows:

Resolution 03/03:The Council has decided that the organization of General Assemblies shall be coordinated by a Working Group. This group shall be responsible for decisions concerning the programs of the seminar and for the coordination of activities related to the organization. For the next GA the Working Group shall be composed by five members of the Council: the President, TC Chair, PDC Chair, Executive Secretary and the Representative to NCSLI.

11. Report from SIM Representative to JCRB / Informe del Representante del SIM
Hratch Semerjian commented that INEN had not submited any CMCs.
Only NIST, CENAM, INMETRO, LATU and INTI submited.Hratch Semerjian explained that some institutes will make a self declaration.
He also mentioned that the next JCRB meeting will be in March 2004 and that until then the institutes will have to have a position on their Quality System.
The date for the next General Assembly was established - the week of 14th to 19th of September will be set up for the related events and the GA will be on 17th and 18th. The first Council Meeting will be on 14th afternoon and the second Council Meeting will be on 19th morning.
Hratch Semerjian will send a formal invitation to Terry Quinn inviting him for the GA.
Felipe Urresta will send a letter to Panama confirming those dates.

12. Request of CAMET to install and to put in operation the SIMNET / Petición de CAMET para instalar y poner en operación el SIMNET
Steve Carpenter explained that to get connected to SIMNET the suitable equipment would be necessary.
It was decided to prepare a letter to be sent to all members explaining that if they want to get connected to SIMNET they need to send an e-mail to Steve Carpenter describing their equipment and he will provide the software.

13. Proposal for the central subject of GA/2003 presented by Panama / Propuesta del tema central de la GA/2003 presentada por Panama
The Secretariat hasn't received any proposals from Panama on the central subject of GA/2003.
The Council agreed that we should ask Panama for some ideas of the central subject of the GA/03 and then decide which one will be chosen.
The Secretariat shall send a letter to Panama informing them that a Working Group has been designated for the GA/03 organization and asking them to send proposals for the central subject of the event.
Steve Carpenter suggested that a letter should also be sent to the Working Groups to know what workshops would they be interested in.

14. Request of SIM support to make an event related to the inauguration of the Guatemala Metrological Center, December/2003 / Solicitación de apoyo al SIM para realizar evento relativo a inauguración del Centro Metrológico de Guatemala, Deciembre/2003
The issue was discussed among the Council members and it was decided to ask for more details on this event to CAMET to be sure that the Guatemala Metrological Center will be ready and to know whether SIM will have enough funds for the support as it will happen in the end of the fiscal year.

15. Proposal of a new SIM Project 2004-2006 "Metrology for the Development of the Subregions" / Propuesta de nuevo proyecto SIM 2004-2006 "Metrología para el Desarrollo de las Subregiones"
The issue shall be discussed during next General Assembly but the theme of trade will probably be in the Project.

16. SIM International Relationships / Relaciones Internacionales de SIM:
- SIM Representation to NCSLI Meeting
- SIM Representation to EUROMET Meeting
- SIM Participation at the CGPM

SIM Representation to NCSLI Meeting

A document must be prepared for the next NCSLI Meeting and it was decided that Felipe Urresta should be responsible for that, in accordance to CR09/02. It was decided that Luis Mussio and someone from CARIMET will participate in the meeting to be responsible for maintaining the booth.
There was a discussion about SIM Mission and Vision and new ones were established in accordance to the following resolution:

Resolution 04/03: SIM Mission: "To promote and support an integrated measurement infrastructure in the Americas that ensures equity in the market place, improves the quality of life and facilitates international trade".
SIM Vision: "A representative, transparent and integrated regional metrology organization committed to ensure uniformity of measurements in the Americas".

SIM Representation to EUROMET Meeting

The issue was discussed and it was decided that SIM President should attend the meeting and the following resolution was approved, concerning various meetings:

Resolution 05/03: The Council decided to have representation at the meetings of NCSLI, EUROMET, OIML and APMP annual meetings. The SIM President is expected to attend these meetings; if he's not available to attend these meetings he will designate another representative.

17. Discussion on the Language used in SIM Meetings / Discusión sobre la lengua usada en reuniones de SIM
This issue was discussed and it was decided to keep the same situation. Documents can be written in any of the 4 languages and OAS will keep an English version in accordance to statutes. During the GA translators shall be hired and during Council Meeting the language used shall be English for practical reasons.

18. Other Business / Otros Asuntos
The German Agreement

Oscar Harasic distributed a letter sent by the German Government to OAS concerning SIM-PTB Project.
The Council discussed the letter and many questions were raised. Steve Carpenter suggested that Oscar Harasic wrote a letter for the German Government saying that the Council needs some clarification on some points.
The concern raised was that PTB could intend to have control over the money and OAS may think we do not need any further funding.
Ismael Castelazo pointed out that even if some points have to be clarified, the proposal was good to SIM.
Oscar Harasic asked us to have patience for a few weeks before he can do the arrangements to try and have the project managed by his office instead of the Agency.
The Council decided to establish two other meetings - one of the Working Group responsible for the General Assembly organization and another one to discuss the calendar of future activities, included the next Council Meeting date (See Annex I, which was presented by Panama after the meeting and Annex II).

The meeting was closed at 10:00pm.