The IRMM celebrates 40 years
The European Commissioner for Research, Mr Philippe Busquin made his way to Geel in Belgium on 18 May, to join in the Joint Research Centre's Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) 40th birthday celebrations. The institute promotes a common European measurement system to support EU policies in food safety, anti-fraud, health and environment. Some of its recent projects include the world's first production of reference materials for detecting genetically modified foods (GMOs) and the practical organisation and evaluation of tests for the detection of BSE infection in cattle, which became the basis for a Europe-wide screening of cattle. The research institute's prime objectives are to develop and perform specific reference measurements to produce certified reference materials, to organise international measurement evaluation programmes, to establish transnational databases, and to carry out pre-normative research.