Founding documents and explanatory texts

The Metre Convention (and Annexed Regulations) is the constituent instrument of an international organization of universal and scientific character, known as the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, with the acronym BIPM, which may henceforth be referred to as the Organization with its Headquarters in Sèvres.

In accordance with the Metre Convention (and Annexed Regulations), the Organization is constituted by the:

1. General Conference on Weights and Measures (or, CGPM)
2. International Committee of Weights and Measures (or, CIPM)
3. Director (or, Director of the BIPM), and
4. the staff.

In the governance of the Organization, the following order of precedence will be observed:

1. the Metre Convention (and Annexed Regulations)
2. Rules of Procedure of the General Conference
3. other decisions of the General Conference
4. Rules of Procedure of the International Committee
5. regulations and rules adopted by the International Committee
6. other decisions of the International Committee, and
7. rules, instructions and directives decided by, or on behalf of, the Director.