Ondertekening nieuw MoU ECORYS - VSL

ECORYS and VSL proudly announce their 10th Anniversary of cooperation!
4 February 2010, Delft/Rotterdam

ECORYS and VSL have been working successfully together since 2000 on international projects primarily for countries in the EU Enlargement and the Neighbourhood regions. The majority of the projects ECORYS and VSL were carrying out together were aiming to contribute to the accession process to the European Union by assisting candidate countries in strengthening their national infrastructure for Metrology, Standards, Testing and Quality (MSTQ). The National infrastructure for Metrology, Standards, Testing and Quality is essential for technology, economy and society ensuring fair trade, health, safety and environment protection.

An essential element of the strategy of EU accession is the progressive preparation for integration into the internal market of the European Union through a complex process of approximation of legislation, norms and standards. The impact of implementation of new legal systems into the socio-economic system can be substantial.  An important need defined in the guidelines for accession to the EU is the upgrading of industry to meet EU requirements for products and production processes. The elimination of technical barriers to trade, and the safeguarding of health, safety and environment are important main elements of the European Directives. These issues concern the immediate neighbours of the EU as well.

ECORYS and VSL have joined forces to achieve synergy and present the best of both institutions to the beneficiary- countries and -institutions. The high level technical knowledge of VSL is complimented with the long experience of ECORYS in dealing with institutions in transition where change processes need careful planning and implementation. The mission of VSL to assist countries in establishing better MSTQ systems and upgrading the local industry to meet EU requirements for products and production processes was supported by ECORYS business modelling and economic argumentation for institutional changes. Since 2000 ECORYS and VSL have been working in Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Morocco, Romania and Ukraine.

ECORYS and VSL have also joined forces in some research projects. A study for the European Commission was carried out dedicated to the assessment of the economic role of measurements in modern society. The partnership carried out also an assessment of the role and future institutional improvement of the Organisation for European Conformity Assessment.

In 2000, NEI, the predecessor of ECORYS and NMi VSL, the predecessor of VSL, have expressed for the first time their interest in long-time cooperation recognizing the synergy between the two institutions and the need to further join forces in technical assistance and research projects. Today, ten years later, following a period of a successful and mutually satisfying cooperation, ECORYS and VSL are expressing their intention to continue their mutual cooperation in this field  by signing a Memorandum of Understanding.

Dr Julia Djarova                                             Ir. A. J. Dalhuijsen
Vice Chair                                                     Managing Director
ECORYS International                                   VSL