The role of legal metrology in modern society

Legal metrology is the responsibility of the public authorities and has long historical tradition. From the historically traditional areas (taxation, consumer protection) legal metrology is widening its scope in the area of health care and environment. Nowadays the main goal of legal metrology is to assure trustful and accurate measurements in the area of

• protection of human and animal health;
• protection of the environment, and general technical safety;
• transactions in goods and services;
• proceedings before the administrative and judicial authorities.

thus contributing to the increased quality of life and to the some extent to economic benefits as well. Therefore, legal metrology is an important horizontal activity, covering in principle environmental protection, health care, trade, agriculture, internal affairs, taxation activities, judicial affairs etc. For a successful operation of legal metrology in the country a strong co-operation with above mentioned sectors is of fundamental importance.

In the Republic of Slovenia all the basic issues of national importance in (legal) metrology are covered by the Metrology Act (Official Gazette of RS no. 26/05 of 15 March 2005). These issues are mainly:

• the system of units of measurements;
• the system of national and reference measurement standards,
• legal metrology instruments;
• the validity of documents and marks of conformity of foreign origin;
• supervision of quantities and marking of pre-packaged products;
• metrological supervision;
• competence and responsibilities of the Metrology Institute of the Republic of  Slovenia

Among the above mentioned issues the most important topics of legal metrology are:

• the system of units of measurements
• legal metrology instruments;
• metrological supervision;

Measuring instruments Subject to National Controls

• length measuring instruments,
• volumetric and flow-through measuring instruments,
• mass measuring instruments,
• vehicle speed measuring instruments,
• force and hardness measuring instruments,
• pressure measuring instruments,
• electrical energy measuring instruments,
• measuring transformers,
• measuring instruments for the surveillance of operation of gambling machines.

The regulations concerning metrological requirements for measuring instruments are mostly based on OIML Recommendations.

Type Approval

Type approval responsibility rests with MIRS. MIRS may use other test laboratories which comply with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 standard.

The most numerous measuring instruments for which type approvals are issued are electricity meters, water meters and non automatic weighing instruments.

The type approval can be obtained by producer or in the case of foreign producer by his representative in Slovenia.

Information concerning type approval certificates are published on MIRS website.

Initial Verification

Initial verification of measuring instruments produced in Slovenia shall be ensured by manufacturer, while initial verification of imported instruments shall be ensured by the importer. Based on Metrology Act, verifications may be performed by MIRS or by nominated entities. The performance of verification activities is based primarily on nominated legal entities (or subcontracting in transition). Nomination is done MIRS and is based on ISO 17020 accreditation. While verifications are, whenever possible, outsourced, stress is given in MIRS to implementation of NAWI directive, software testing capacities and metrological supervision.

Manufactures of measuring instruments with approved quality system are able to issue manufacturers¢ declaration of conformity.

Regular Verification

A mandatory reverification system operates.Reverification frequencies are determined in the rules for metrological requirements for those measuring instruments

• trade weights  2 years
• petrol pumps  15 month
• cold water meters  5 years
• gas meters  5 years
• electricity meters  12 years

Latest figures show that some 220.000 measuring instruments are annually reverified.

The fees for reverification are the same as for initial verification and are defined in Government`s Ordinance. Appointed legal entities are free to set their own fees.

Directive 90/384/EEC

The Directive on non-automatic measuring instruments (NAWI) MIRS acts as notified body for ES type examination, ES verification and EC unit verification for NAWI.

International Cooperation

Since it's establishment, Slovenian legal metrology system has been closely linked with most advanced international metrology systems - in terms of acquiring knowledge, participating in common projects etc. Based on bilateral and multilateral projects, implementation of several legal metrology directives of national importance have been achieved (NAWI, electricity meters, material measures of lenght, prepackaged products).

In addition, active participation in WELMEC is of utmost importance for proper implementation and full harmonisation of legal metrology directives. Slovenia is an associated member of WELMEC since 1999. Besides, OIML membership (since 1992) and co-operation is very important as well. Participation in both international organisations is based on a clear identification and prioritisation of national needs.

 2004/22/EC – Measuring Instruments Directive

Metrology institute of Republic of Slovenia is notify body (nr. 1376) on the following fields:

• Automatic weighing instruments for annex B (type examination), annex G (declaration of conformity based on unit verification), and F (declaration of conformity to type based on product verification),
• Capacity serving measures for annex D1 (declaration of conformity based on quality assurance of the production process) and F1(declaration of conformity based on product verification),
• Active electrical energy meters for annex B (type examination), annex D (declaration of conformity to type based on internal production control plus product testing by a notified body) and F (declaration of conformity to type based on product verification),
• Measuring system for the continuous dynamic measurement of quantities of liquids other then water for annex G (declaration of conformity based on unit verification),
• Material measures of length for annex B (type examination), annex D (declaration of conformity to type based on internal production control plus product testing by a notified body),
• Length measuring instruments for annex B (type examination), annex D (declaration of conformity to type based on internal production control plus product testing by a notified body).

The list of notified bodies which cover other field of directive is available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newapproach/nando/index.cfm?fuseaction=directive.main

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