At the IAG1999 General Assembly in Birmingham, jointly with the 22th General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), an IAG Review Committee was created to propose a new IAG structure that is in agreement with the innovative geodetic techniques and methods becoming available at that time. Modern Geodesy should be viewed from the global perspective and efforts of all branches of this science should be bundled to serve the same goal. The IAG Review Committee organized a retreat in February 2000, where experts from Geodesy, Earth sciences, government organizations, etc. were invited to develop, together with the Committee, a first draft for the new structure. After a series of meetings and different drafts, the IAG Review Committee prepared a proposal of new IAG Statutes and Bylaws describing the new IAG structure and proposing to establish GGOS as IAG’s first association project. IAG projects are “of a broad scope and of highest interest and importance for the entire field of Geodesy. These projects serve as the flagships of the IAG for a long time period (decade or longer)”. An IAG project is nothing but the focal point of most, if not all, activities of the IAG. This makes evident that GGOS realizes a milestone in the advancement of Geodesy.