The Republic of Latvia is composed of the four
historical regions of Vidzeme, Kurzeme, Latgale and Zemgale, and covers an area
of 64.6 thousand sq. km. The country is divided into 26 administrative
districts. The population is 2.5 million of which 0.8 million inhabitants live
in Riga, the Capital of the Republic. It is a parliamentary democracy.
In 1998 the gross national product of Latvia approached 5.3
billion USD, and at present its trade with the countries of the European Union
accounts for nearly 60% of total foreign trade. On 10 February 1999 Latvia
became the first Baltic country to be accepted as a full member of the World
Trade Organisation. This paves the way for Latvia to extend external economic
activity to the 135 member states of the WTO.
On 10-11 December 1999 in Helsinki the EU Council adopted
the decision to continue with the enlargement process, including a start of
accession negotiations with Latvia.
Organisational Structure and Background
The Ministry of Economy of Latvia directs state
policy in the fields of standardisation, metrology, accreditation and
inspection. Latvia has a centralised metrological structure. The organisational
structure of metrology can be found below.
The metrological activities in Latvia are carried out by the
Latvian National Metrology Centre "Latvijas Nacionâlais
metroloìijas centrs". It is a public non-profit limited liability
company which is under the authority of the Ministry of Economy.
The Latvian National Metrology Centre (LNMC) whose
headquarters is in Riga, is an executive agency for metrology (including legal
metrology). In the field of legal metrology LNMC operates through three
regional branches located in the Latvian cities of Liepaja, Daugavpils and
Valmiera and a Centre for Radiation Metrology and Testing.
As far as legal metrology is concerned, Latvia is a
corresponding member of the OIML and an associate member of WELMEC. Metrology
functions are laid down by the "Law On Uniformity of Measurements"
(adopted 27 February 1997, modified 1 April 1998 and 4 March 1999).
The objective of the Law is to provide for the uniformity of
measurements throughout the Republic of Latvia in order to protect its
citizens, environment and consumers from the harmful effects of inaccurate or
false measurements and facilitate development of a national economy and
international co-operation. Uniformity of measurements throughout the state is
to be ensured by traceability of measurements to the national or international
measurement standards.
In order to implement the Law on Metrology, the following
Regulations were issued by the Cabinet of Ministers on 31 August 1998:
- Regulations on the National Measurement Standards of the Republic of
Latvia;
- Regulations on the Measuring Instruments Subject to the State Metrological
Control;
- Regulations on the Pre-packed Products Subject to the State Metrological
Control;
- Regulations on the Units of Quantities;
- Regulations on the State Metrological Inspection;
- Regulations on the National Council of Metrology;
- Regulations on the Verification Documents and Verification Labels of the
Measuring Instruments.
Measuring instruments subject to legal metrology control:
- Simple length measures
- Liquid measures for commercial transactions
- Dipsticks
- Weights
- Non-automatic and automatic weighing instruments
- Liquid volume metering instruments for commercial use
- Cold and warm water meters
- Heat meters
- Road traffic measuring instruments (taximeters, tyre pressure gauges, radar
equipment for the measurement of the speed of vehicles)
- Alcoholometers and alcohol hydrometers
- Fixed storage tanks
- Electricity meters
- Voltage and current transformers
- Evidential breath analysers
- Instruments for measuring vehicle exhaust emissions
- Road and rail tankers
- Gas volume meters
- Pressure gauges (manometers and sphygmomanometers)
- Focimeters
- Dosimeters and radiometers
Instruments are generally subject to type approval. Mandatory
reverification intervals for measuring instruments are given in the Regulations
of the Cabinet of Ministers "On the Measuring Instruments Subject to the
State Metrological Control".
Type approval
Type approval certificates can only be issued by
the executive agency for metrology, located in Riga. They are issued to local
manufacturers and importers, as well as to distributors in cases where foreign
certificates are to be recognised. LNMC is responsible for technical tests and
expertise for all instruments. It has its own test facilities, but may
also use other accredited test laboratory facilities. LNMC maintains a
database of type approvals and publishes a list of type approval certificates
on the LNMC homepage in the Latvian language.
The most numerous category of instruments for which type
approvals are issued are liquid volume meters other than water, followed by
water meters, heat meters and non-automatic weighing instruments.
Pattern evaluation and pattern approval in Latvia:
Initial verification
At present, the initial verification function is
performed by LNMC. Initial verification for electricity measurements can be
performed either by LNMC or by the authorised accredited laboratory.
Self-declaration of conformity by manufacturers has not yet
been recognised in Latvia.
Inspection and reverification
Periodical reverification is statutory. The
reverification intervals are mandatory and are fixed by the regulations
defining legal metrology instruments.
The verification labels and stamps are affixed by the
laboratory officers. These indicate when the verification was carried out. The
user is obliged to submit his instrument at a given reverification date.
Latest figures show that some 437 thousand measuring
instruments are annually reverified. Errors are based on mpe × 1 for
reverification.
State metrology supervision is carried out by the State
Metrological Inspection – an independent civil service agency - operating
since 1 April 1999 according to the Law "On Uniformity of
Measurements". The State Metrological Inspection is a state institution
receiving a state budget and operating in accordance with the statute approved
by the Cabinet of Ministers. The State Metrological Inspection has only 6
staff.
Inspection is visual only and limited to seeing that
instruments bear the prescribed seals and stamps and that the weighing
instrument is zeroised. The inspectors do not carry any testing equipment.
Legal Metrology Practitioners and Scope
There are some 100 engineers and officers
performing verification at the LNMC and 6 inspectors working at the State
Metrological Inspection.
Competence is adjudged against the ability of a laboratory
to satisfy LVS EN 45000 criteria. There is no government led qualification or
formal training programme in legal metrology. LNMC together with LATAK (Latvian
Accreditation Bureau) and LVS (Latvian Standard Ltd) run a series of seminars
which are supplemented by practical training and international courses.
Since 1 July 1999, the State Metrological Inspection has had
responsibility for carrying out metrological control of volume and mass for
pre-packed products on an approved list of pre-packed food products. No fee is
paid by manufacturers for the volume/mass checks carried out by State
Metrological Inspection. There are plans to establish metrological control over
all pre-packed products by the year 2002 according to new legislation. However,
as the State Metrological Inspection has only 6 staff, this will be difficult
without an increase in staff and resources.
Sanctions
The State Metrological Inspection is authorised
to call the persons who have committed infringements to administrative
responsibility and fine them. The inspectors can issue warnings for minor
infringements. The amount of a penalty depends on the nature and extent of the
fraud, the maximum being set by Administrative Infringement Code to 200
Ls (about 335 USD).
Directive 90/384/EEC
In compliance with the Europe Agreement, Latvia
is gradually introducing EU legislation into its legal system with the aim of
achieving full conformity in the field of technical regulations including legal
metrology.
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Updated March 2003
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