Country Information Croatia

The Republic of Croatia extends from the foothills of the Julian Alps in the northwest and the Pannonian Plain in the east, over the Dinara mountain range in its central region, to the Adriatic coast in the south. The Republic of Croatia is a parliamentary democracy; divided into 21 units of regional self-government counties. According to the Constitution Croatia has a one-chamber Parliament. The President of the Republic is the Head of State, directly elected for a term of five years. The President is also Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, and represents the Republic of Croatia, The Government, headed by the Prime Minister, is politically responsible only to the Croatian Parliament, which is comprised of the House of Representatives. Members of the House of Representatives serve four-year terms. The Government in the Republic of Croatia is organised on the principle of the separation of powers into three branches: legislative (the Parliament), executive (the President of the Republic, the Government) and judicial.

Croatia’s territory covers an area of 56.594 km2 with a population of 4.2 million, most of which live in its capital and largest city – Zagreb.

Croatia became the 28th member state of the European Union on 1 July 2013.

The State Office for Metrology (DZM) is a state administrative organisation and the national legal metrology authority in Croatia.  Its work lies within the competence framework of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development.  The seat of DZM is located in Zagreb.  Besides the location in Zagreb there are also three additional regional units of DZM located in Rijeka, Split and Osijek, which has a positive impact from the point of view of regional coverage in the performance of metrological tasks.

The organisation and the structure of metrology in the Republic of Croatia are based on the Metrology Act (Official Gazette, no. 74/14 and no. 111/18). The Act was drawn up on the basis of OIML D1 "Elements for a Law on Metrology".

The tasks of DZM as legal metrology authority comprise: the adoption of metrology regulations; type approval and verification of measuring instruments; the performance of metrological supervision and in-service inspection, control of pre-packages; control of precious metal articles and type approval of motor vehicles.

The State Office for Metrology is organised into services, departments and sections, and it currently employs 80 civil servants.

The State Office for Metrology represents the Republic of Croatia in international, European and regional metrology organisations in the field of legal metrology, precious metals and in bodies which adopt type-approval regulations, and ensures the performance of tasks arising from membership of these organisations. The State Office for Metrology is a member of the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML) and the European Cooperation in Legal Metrology (WELMEC).

It is a member of the International Association of Assay Offices and takes part in the work of the European Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Previous Metals.

Concerning the field of type-approval, the State Office for Metrology represents the Republic of Croatia at the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (UNECE WP - 29) and the EC Type Approval Authority.

  • Non-automatic weighing instruments in accordance with Directive 2014/31/EU
  • Water Meters (MI-001)
  • Gas meters and volume conversion devices (MI-002)
  • Active electrical energy meters (MI-003)
  • Thermal energy meters (MI-004)
  • Measuring systems for the continuous and dynamic measurement of quantities of liquids other than water (MI-005)
  • Automatic weighing instruments (MI-006)
  • Taxi meters (MI-007)
  • Material measures (MI-008)
  • Dimensional measuring instruments (MI-009)
  • Exhaust gas analysers (MI-010)
  • Moisture Meters measuring the Moisture Content for Cereal Grain and Oilseeds Hectolitre Weighing Instruments measuring the Hectolitre Mass of Cereals
  • Infrared Analysers measuring Grain Protein Concentration
  • Manometers
  • Human pressure meters
  • Capacity measures of horizontal cylindrical tanks
  • Weights
  • Liquids other than water
  • Dipsticks and depth gauges for liquids(Automatic level gauge instruments)
  • Tyre pressure gauges
  • Axle and wheel weighing systems
  • Breath analysers
  • Traffic speed measuring instruments

'New Approach Directives'

The State Office for Metrology is responsible for the transposition and implementation of the following Directives into the national legislation:

  • Directive 2014/31/EU was implemented by means of the Ordinance on the Technical and Essential Requirements referring to Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments (Official Gazette, no. 21/16)
  • Directive 2014/32/EU was implemented by the Ordinance on the Metrological and Technical Requirements referring to Measuring Instruments (Official Gazette, no. 21/16)

 

'Old Approach Directives'

  • Directive 2007/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules on nominal quantities for prepacked products, repealing Council Directives 75/106/EEC and 80/232/EEC, and amending Council Directive 76/211/EEC was transposed by means of the Ordinance on the nominal quantities of prepacked products (Official Gazette, no. 82/16)
  • Council Directive 75/107/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to bottles used as measuring containers was transposed by Ordinance on the metrological requirements for bottles used as measuring containers (Official Gazette, no. 82/16)
  • Council Directive 76/211/EEC on the harmonization of the laws of Member States relating to the making-up by weight or by volume of certain prepackaged products was transposed by Ordinance on the metrological requirements for prepackages with the constant nominal quantities of contents marked by weight or by volume (Official Gazette, no. 82/16)

The State Office is responsible for carrying out inspection activities relating to the monitoring of the enforcement of the Metrology Act and the relevant implementing regulations adopted pursuant to this Act.

The metrological inspectors perform first – instance inspection activities, whereas the appeals commission appointed by the Government of the Republic of Croatia is responsible for performing second - instance inspection activities.

In the course of inspection, the metrological inspector is empowered to enter and inspect the premises and facilities in which legal metrology instruments and prepackages are manufactured, stored or used, as well as the devices, equipment and production equipment and vehicles.  He is also entitled to examine the business books, files, records and test reports of an authorised legal entity enabling an insight into the way in which legal metrology activities are performed.

Typical verification of a measuring instrument is carried out within the verification periods prescribed for the appropriate type of measuring instrument.

  • Weighing instruments
    • Non-automatic Weighing Instruments – Accuracy Class (I): 2 years
    • Non-automatic Weighing Instruments – Accuracy Class (II): 2 years
    • Non-automatic Weighing Instruments – Accuracy Classes (III) i (IIII) ≤ 9000 kg: 2 years
    • Non-automatic Weighing Instruments – Accuracy Classes (III) i (IIII) > 9000 kg: 2 years
    • Automatic Weighing Instruments: 1 year
  • Direct Connected Energy Meters: 12 years
  • Transformer Connected Enery Meters: 8 years
  • Gas meters with max. flow rate ≤10 m3/h : 10 years
  • Turbine Gas Meters and Rotary Piston Gas Meters with max. flow rate ≤ 250 m3/h: 12 years
  • Gas meters with max. flow rate >10 m3/h, Turbine Gas Meters and Rotary Piston Gas Meters with max. flow rate > 250 m3/h: 16 years  
  • Water meters: 5 years
  • Measuring instruments for liquids other than water: 1 year
  • Fuel dispensers - 2 years
  • Traffic speed measuring instruments: 1 year

LAST UPDATE: MARCH 2021

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