Since 1997, the LNE's public service mission has been set out in a contract of objectives signed with the French government every four years. This contract implies a financial commitment from the State in the form of annual subsidies. Faced with ever-changing societal challenges (citizen and consumer protection, health and safety, environmental protection), the LNE supports the implementation of public policies: as a reference laboratory for industry in the field of metrology ; by pursuing its scientific and technical development in order to anticipate measurement needs arising from technological advances and new social expectations; by participating in the development of standards and regulations at national, European and international levels, and by taking part in market surveillance.