Bulgaria is a Parliamentary Republic. The country covers 110 993,6 sq. km. and is divided into 28 administrative regions. The population is 8 million. Approximately 1 million live in the Capital – Sofia. 56% of Bulgaria’s foreign trade is with EU and EFTA countries.

Organisational Structure and Background

The President of the State Agency for Metrology and Technical Supervision (SAMTS) performs the state management in the field of measurements regulated by the new Law on measurements that was adopted by the Parliament in April 2002. SAMTS is under the responsibility of the Council of Ministers and functionally is associated to the Minister of Economy. According to on-going restructuring, three General Directorates of SAMTS cover metrology activities:

• National Centre of Metrology (NCM). NCM is the only NMI in Bulgaria and its responsibilities are mainly in the field of scientific metrology. In addition to its role of maintaining the national measurement standards NCM provides calibration services directly to the industry and to private accredited and non- accredited test and calibration laboratories, regional legal metrology services and Governmental Agencies as well;
  
• Measures and Measuring Instruments (MMI). Its responsibilities lie in the field of legal metrology: type approval, expertise, initial and subsequent verification of measuring instruments, as well as gambling machines and fiscal devices.
  
• Metrological Supervision (MS). Its responsibilities lie in the field of legal metrology: observation on the utilization of the units of measurement; supervision on manufacturers, importers, repairers and users of measuring instruments; authorization and supervision on persons authorized for verification of measuring instruments; registration and control of persons who produce, import or sale prepackages or bottles; registration of manufacturers, importers or repairers of fiscal devices; registration of installers and repairs of tachographs; licensing of repairers of electronic taximeters with fiscal memory.

In addition, a National Council of Metrology has been established as a consultative body to the President of SAMTS. It reviews the long-term development programme for the national measurement standards, the national system of certified reference materials, drafts of legislative acts, programmes and concepts for metrology development. Accredited and non-accredited testing, verification and calibration laboratories supplement the metrology infrastructure. The Executive Agency “Bulgarian Accreditation Service” (BAS) was established as an independent body in 1999.The first Law on Weights and Measures was adopted in 1888. Bulgaria joined the Metre Convention in 1910 and OIML in 1956.

SAMTS has been a Member of COOMET since 1991, an Associate Member of WELMEC and a Corresponding Applicant of EUROMET since 2000
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Equipment Subject to Legal Metrological Control

• Material length measures
• Automatic weighing instruments
• Non-automatic weighing instruments
• Weights
• Clinical thermometers:
  • mercury-in-glass with maximum device
  • electrical with maximum device
  • electrical for continuous measuring
• Heat meters
• Blood pressure measuring instruments
• Manometers used in high-risk equipment
• Tyre pressure gauges
• Volume measures used in trade
• Water meters
• Flow meters for liquids other than water and ancillary equipment
• Measuring systems for liquids other than water
• Gas volume meters
• Braking trace measuring stations
• Alcohol meters and alcohol hydrometers
• Thermometers for use in alcoholometry
• Opacimeters
• Vehicle exhaust emission meters
• Instruments for measuring the hectolitre mass of cereals
• Dosimeters
• Various instruments and systems in the field of ionising radiation for personal safety, health and environmental protection
• Electric energy meters
• Electrocardiographs
• Systems for telephone charging
• Clocks for multi-tariff energy meters
• Chronometers for hourly payment
• Audiometers
• Traffic control radars
• Evidential breath analyzers
• Focimeters
  

Type Approval

Type approval of measuring instruments is performed in compliance with 71/316/EEC, which is implemented in Bulgaria by the Law on measurements.MMI carries out type approval activities for those instruments subject to legal metrological control. It keeps a register of the measuring instruments’ types approved for use and relevant information is published in the official bulletin of SAMTS. This register records also type approval withdrawals.
A type approval is recognized if:

• a certificate drawn up by an authorized body of an EU Member State, which proves the compliance of the type with the provisions of an EU Directive on that type of measuring instruments, has been submitted;
  
• there is a signed agreement with another state for mutual recognition of type approvals.
  

Initial Verification

Initial verification of measuring instruments is performed in compliance with 71/316/EEC. It is carried out by MMI and its regional offices, and by persons authorized by the President of SAMTS. Persons shall be authorized for carrying out verification of measuring instruments when they:

• are registered according to the Commercial Law;
• are a third independent party in the verifications they apply for;
• use standards and measuring instruments of guaranteed traceability, and valid certified reference materials;
• dispose of premises or mobile laboratories providing conditions that allow implementation of the specified methods;
• dispose of appropriately educated and qualified personnel;
• have a quality management system.

The initial verification of measuring instruments imported from an EU Member State, which bear marks for compliance with an approved type and/or with the requirements of the relevant EU Directive on these measuring instruments, is carried out by verification of a batch sample.

The results of the initial verification performed by an authorized body of another state shall be recognized if Bulgaria has signed a mutual recognition agreement with that state.

Subsequent Verification

Subsequent verification of measuring instruments is also performed by MMI and its regional offices, and by persons authorized by the President of SAMTS.

The periodicity of verification depends on the type of the instrument. It is determined by the President of SAMTS and is announced in the official bulletin of SAMTS.

Control of Prepackages and Bottles

The new Law on Measurements makes provisions for the control of prepackages and bottles. Two Ordinances covering the matter have been prepared and their entering into force is forthcoming. They reflect the provisions of the EU Directives on that subject.

Legal Metrology Practitioners and Scope

The General Directorate “Measures and Measuring Instruments” employs 330 people, 45 of them are occupied with type examination and 285 work at the regional offices as verification officers. The regional offices can also provide calibration services. The General Directorate “Metrological Supervision” employs 125 people.

The fees for all metrological services within SAMTS are determined in a tariff adopted by a government decree.

Sanctions

The Law on Measurements makes provisions for fines and property sanctions in case of:
- placing on the market and/or putting into service measuring instruments, which do not meet the metrological control provisions of the law;
- placing on the market and/or selling non-conforming prepackages and bottles and not observing the registration provisions;
- not observing the instructions of the supervising personnel.

The fines and property sanctions are within 200 – 20 000 BGL (appr. 100 – 10 000 Euro). Their amount depends on the violation nature, extent and repeatability.

Directive 90/384/EEC

An Ordinance on non-automatic weighing instruments has already been developed by SAMTS. It is completely harmonized with this Directive. Its adoption by the government and entering into force are expected by the end of 2003.

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