Lithuania has a population of 3.7 million and covers a land area of 62,500 sq km. 70% of the population live in cities. The Lithuanian Government continues to pursue privatisation and deregulatory policies which are having an effect upon the traditional infrastructure of public service provision.

Organisation structure and background

The legal base for metrology in Lithuania is the Law on Metrology, adopted on 9 July 1996. The Government of the Republic of Lithuania authorised the State Metrology Service (SMS) to execute metrology policy in Lithuania, co-ordinate traceability of measurements, organise and implement scientific, legal and administrative activities related to metrology. SMS is a public administration authority at the Ministry of Public Administration Reforms and Local Authorities.

It also acts as a National Metrology Institute with its headquarters in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, with laboratories scattered all over Lithuania. SMS was founded on the 1 January 1998 as a result of splitting the former Lithuanian Standards Board into three independent public institutions. The Lithuanian Metrology Inspection with its ten offices all over Lithuania is a public enforcement agency. Verification of various measuring instruments is performed by 5 state companies - Metrology Centres in Kaunas, Klaipeda, Panevezys, Siauliai and Vilnius and by a number of accredited calibration laboratories, which are authorised by the SMS to perform verification of measuring instruments within the fields of their accreditation.

The Republic of Lithuania is a corresponding member of OIML, associate member of WELMEC and EUROMET, as well as a member of COOMET. Metrology functions are laid down by the Law on Metrology NO.1-1492 as of 9 July 1996, which is compatible with the OIML IR NO 1 and by corresponding resolutions.

Equipment Subject to National Controls

• Length measures
• Area meters
• Cover thickness meters
• Liquid volume measures for commercial transactions (for oil and oil products, gas, milk)
• Dipsticks
• Medium accuracy weights
• Liquid volume metering instruments for commercial use
• Volume meters for commercial use (for alcoholic beverages)
• Laboratory instruments
• Cold water meters
• Hot water meters
• Gas volume meters
• Electricity meters
• Force measuring instruments
• Pressure measuring instruments
• Density measuring instruments
• Non-automatic weighing instruments
• Automatic weighing instruments for commercial use
• Law enforcement instruments
  • Chronotachographs 
  • Ethylometers (evidential breath analysers)
• Road traffic measuring instruments 
  • Taximeters
  • Tyre pressure gauges
  • Exhaust emission meters
  • Smoke meters
  • Chronotachographs
  • Speed detectors
  • Go-and-stop surveillance instruments
• Measuring instruments for grading cereals
• Road tankers
• Alcoholmeters and areometers for alcohol
• Fixed storage tanks
• Portable combustion analysers
• Temperature measuring instruments
• Sound level meters
• Medical measuring instruments

The list of instruments subject to legal control is prescribed by the SMS Order. Instruments are generally subject to type approval, initial verification and mandatory reverification.

Type approval

Type approval certificates can be issued by SMS. SMS contracts testing engineers and test facilities at test laboratories. SMS maintains a database of type approvals and publishes a detailed list of type approval certificates in a periodical. Fees are based on full economic cost of approval certificates in a periodical and are charged to the applicant.

Initial Verification

At present initial verification of instruments in most cases is performed by five state companies – Metrology Centres (MCs) or accredited calibration laboratories authorised to perform verification laboratories accredited according to EN 45000.

Reverification

A mandatory reverification is performed by MCs. MCs as well as accredited calibration laboratories authorised to perform verification of measuring instruments are supervised by the Lithuanian Metrology Inspection on a random basis. The reverification intervals are mandatory and are given in the Order concerning instruments subject to legal supervision. Typical reverification intervals are:

Non-automatic weighing instruments	1 year
Manometers	1 year
Flow meters for liquid	2 – 4 years
Household gas meters	8 years
Petrol pumps	0,5 years
Electricity meters (inductive)	16 years
Water meters	4 years

Non-automatic weighing instruments are reverified mostly after a repair. Repairers are not normally permitted to re-verify instruments, except very specific instruments.

Inspection

Inspection of measuring instruments on site is performed by the Lithuanian Metrology Inspection under the State Metrology Service according to workplans approved by the Head of Inspection four times per year. The Inspection performs state controls on the condition and use of measuring instruments.

Legal Metrology Practioners and Scope

The State Metrology Service employs six engineers but also renders services of type testing engineers from competent laboratories. There are also some 80 engineers performing verification at the verification offices. Training is provided by the Metrology Institute at Kaunas Technology University for technician-inspectors (200 hours followed by examination), engineer-metrologists (extra year after five years studies at Kaunas Technical University in any technical field), postgraduates (Master’s degree in Metrology and a PhD in Metrology). Training for technician-inspectors is also performed at a specialist re-qualification centre (200 hours followed by examination). Mandatory re-training is every five years. Inspectors perform state controls on the condition and use of measuring instruments and are not involved in any wider consumer protection service. They can report to SMS if major non-compliances are found.

Consumers can complain to SMS about any problems with weighing and measuring instruments.

Sanctions

Sanctions are based upon a system of administrative penalties prepared by SMS and applied by LMI. Inspection officers may suit a user of a measuring instrument in certain circumstances for the first infringements with the amount of 200-4000 Litas (50-1000 USD), exceptionally up to 5000 Litas (1250 USD); for the second and subsequent times amounts double. In the case of a dispute, the matter may be taken to the court of law.

Directive 90/384/EEC

In conformity with the European Agreement, the Republic of Lithuania is gradually introducing EU legislation into its legal system.

Directory Contact Points

SMS

Osvaldas Staugaitis
Director
T. Kosciuskos 30
 LT-03219  Vilnius
Tel: +370 5 213 33 49
Fax: +370 5 216 34 69

Viktoras Zabolotnas
Deputy Director
T. Kosciuskos 30
 LT-03219  Vilnius
Tel: +370 5 213 33 49
Fax: +370 5 216 34 69