^v^mmrmmmm. QUÌI λ.\^<^ί EUROPEAN COMMISSION SCIENCE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT EUROPEAN COMMISSION Edith CRESSON, Member of the Commission, responsible for Research, Innovation, Education, Training and Youth, DG XII — Standards, Measurements and Testing Programme Contact: SMT Helpdesk, European Commission - M075 3/62 - Rue de la Loi 200 - B-1049 Brussels Tel.: +32-2-2958072 - E-mail: smt-helpdesk@dg12.cec.be Published by European Commission A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu.int). Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1998 ISBN : 92-828-0831-9 © European Communities, 1998 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Italy 25 Years of Quality Measurements ι on r Preface he importance of measurements and standards in The concept of Total Quality is increasingly important Tour lives cannot be overstated. The quality of the to the success of European industry. Quality control products we buy, the competitiveness of our indus and quality assurance must provide useful and accutries and the quality of the environment around us all rate data if testing regimes are to provide added depend on being able to make accurate, reliable mea value. Increasingly, laboratories must be able to show surements.