In the developed economic systems, and in particular countries struggling for existence or for penetration of the international markets - including Slovenia - measurements in the wider sense of the word represent a 3 - 6-percent share of GDP. Slovenia urgently needs a well functioning metrology system to be able to ensure traceability of all these measurements - which in most cases provide the basis for important decisions or for the quality of the Slovenian products and services - to the prescribed and internationally agreed SI units.

The national metrology infrastructure is a very expensive system. It has been clear from the very beginning, when the Metrology Institute (then called SMIS) was established after Slovenia had become independent, that all available human and material resources in the country would have to be employed in building up an adequate metrology system for Slovenia, based on existing capabilities and within the framework of given financial resources. Because of all these requirements and restrictions, a distributed system appeared to be the only viable solution, within which the work in the field of scientific and legal metrology and precious metals would be organised under MIRS as an umbrella institution responsible for the entire metrology system at the higest level. Any institution demonstrating an adequate competence - and above all interest in the work in metrology - was included. Measuring traceability at the highest metrological level in Slovenia is maintained by the laboratories - holders of national measurement standards - who constitute a uniform system, either within the scope of MIRS or in close collaboration with MIRS.

It is important to note that in most cases the basic metrology infrastructure is used for the needs of both scientific and legal metrology.

Since its establishment, the Slovenian metrology system has been closely linked with the most advanced international metrology systems, in terms of acquiring knowledge, ensuring traceability, making inter-comparisons, participating in common projects, as well as assuring the highest possible quality of the metrological work.

Because of the key importance of metrology for a sustainable development of all areas within the country, a Metrology Board was established as a consulting body to the minister in charge of metrology. The Board provides advice in determining the national metrological needs, and proposes scientific and training activities in the field of metrology.

Quality System

National measurement standards system in the Republic of Slovenia is based on a Uniform Laboratory Quality System in conformity with the SIST EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard. Individual institutions, holders of the national measurement standards, are included in this uniform system. The basic quality system in MIRS, in conformity with the SIST ISO 9001:2000 standard, represents foundation for an interacting and harmonized quality system.

Uniform Data Base

Metrology Institute of the Republic of Slovenia builds and maintains an uniform data base for metrology laboratories which are active in the highest metrology level in the country (national and reference measurement standards). Besides the metrology competence the data include national needs in the field of individual physical units of measurement, development strategy, financial investments, personnel, bibliography and proofessional competence, organizational charts, quality system, measurement and other equipment, traceability charts and other relevant data, uniformly describing distributed metrology system.

National Metrology System

Distributed Metrology System

Important International Organizations

History of Metrology in Slovenia

The SI System of Units of Measurement - the Base Quantities

Vocabulary of Frequently Used Terms