Celebrating Metrology Day
Current eventsOn 17th May 2011 the Directorate of Measures and Precious Metals (DMDM), Ministry of Economy and Regional Development (MERD), and SINGIDUNUM University organised at the SINGIDUNUM University premises a symposium on the occasion of celebration of 20th May – World Metrology Day.
In the introductory part the following persons gave opening addresses: prof. Milovan Stanišić PhD, Rector of SINGIDUNUM University,Vida Živković MSc, DMDM Director, and prof. Branislav Mašić PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Management (Engineering Management).
Ms Živković reminded how important metrology as a science on measurements is, and that metrology as such is present in almost all fields of human activities, especially when measurements are performed in the public interest, in the field of health protection, general safety, and environmental protection. Its achievements are applied when it is necessary to determine the quantity and quality of products and services, and to conduct scientific research. As a component of quality infrastructure, metrology is extremely important for scientific, technical and technological progress of all national economies, and it is an efficient means that contributes to the removal of technical barriers to trade.
Metrology Day, 20th May, is celebrated worldwide by members of the Metre Convention that was signed on this very date in 1875. Convention was a means to establish the Bureau International des Poids and Mesures (BIPM) the task of which is to ensure worldwide uniformity of measures, establish and maintain international measurement standards, compare national and international measurement standards, ensure coordination in terms of measurement methods and perform and coordinate research related to physical constants contributing to measurement standards.
Metrology has a long tradition in Serbia. The Law on Measures of 1st December 1873 introduced the decimal metric system, and helped establish the Department of Measures within the Ministry of Finance of the Principality of Serbia with a task to ensure control of measures and comparison of prototypes. In 1879 Serbia joined the Metre Convention. When Serbia joined the Metre Convention Principality it undertook a task to introduce the International System of Units (SI), attain national measurement standards in accordance with definitions defined by the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM), as the management organ of the Convention, to periodically compare Serbian measurement standards with international measurement standards kept by the Bureau International des Poids and Mesures. In 2002 the DMDM (or the Federal Institute of Measures and Precious Metals at the time) became a member of the Metre Convention as the national metrology institute, and therefore a signatory to the Mutual Recognition Agreement (CIPM MRA for national measurement standards and for calibration and measurement certificates issued by national metrology institutes (NMIs). DMDM is a founding member of the European Association of NMIs, EURAMET, and an associate member of the European Cooperation in Legal Metrology, WELMEC.
DMDM performs the following activities: safeguard legal measuring unit system, development, realisation, and improvement of measurement standards of the Republic of Serbia, provide metrological traceability, testing of pre-packaged products, metrological surveillance, conformity assessment of measuring instruments, preparation of regulations governing metrology, provision of metrology-related information, performance of time distribution activities and other metrology-related activities.
Vida Živković MSc emphasised that application of the 2010 Law on Metrology enables fulfilment of requirements related to the Serbian membership in the WTO and EU. This will enable uniformity of measurement in the Republic of Serbia and establishment of impartial and transparent manner of performance of metrology-related activities through provision of measurements with accurate and harmonised measuring instruments in accordance with internationally defined requirements and units of measurement of the International System of Units and through provision of traceability of measurement standards to international measurement standards.
Lectures were given by:
1. Snežana Matić, Head of the MERD Quality Infrastructure Sector – “Quality Infrastructure in the Republic of Serbia – New Legal Framework”,
2. Prof. Predrag Popović PhD, lecturer at the Singidunum University – “Modes to Enhance National Quality Infrastructure”,
3. Lucija Dujović, DMDM Assistant Director, and Tatjana Cincar Vujović, DMDM Senior Adviser – “Metrology in the Republic of Serbia – Current Prospects and Future Developments”,
4. Jelena Bebić, DMDM Independent Adviser – “Reference Materials”.
Snežana Matić, Head of the MERD Quality Infrastructure Sector, presented the new legal framework governing quality infrastructure in the Republic of Serbia. The said framework involved the adoption of the 4 key laws, and a series of sub-laws and technical regulations:
- Law on Technical Requirements for Products and Conformity Assessment (36/09);
- Law on Standardization (36/09);
- Law on Accreditation (73/10), and
- Law on Metrology (30/10).
At the end of 2010 the Government adopted the Bill on the Control of Precious Metals Articles that was forwarded to the Parliament of the Republic of Serbia to be adopted.
3 regulations were adopted in order to transpose the EU Directives into our legislation - MD, LVD and EMC (13/10), and the Regulation on Lift Safety (101/10).
“ 6 sub-laws were adopted (2 decrees and 4 regulations), while the remaining 13 sub-laws are being drafted” emphasised Snežana Matić.
“I would like to highlight that the Law on Metrology prescribes that testing of measuring instruments is performed by companies and other legal entities, and authorised bodies that are, as stipulated by the law and respective regulations, authorised to perform the said activities if they are in possession of an accreditation certificate and that they meet other prescribed requirements”, said Snežana Matić and added that the plan was to adopt in 2011 another 3 regulations on: metrological requirements for measuring instruments; non-automated weighing instruments, and testing of pre-packed products. The said regulations will transpose EU Directives into our legislation.
In terms of other sub-laws Snežana Matić announced that there was a plan to draft and adopt this year regulations on technical and other requirements for personal protective equipment that would enable transposition of this very important EU Directive into our legislation.
In addition to the work on the establishment of the new technical legislation, the MERD started applying the said regulations and 5 conformity assessment bodies became notified bodies and the MERD issued one decision on the recognition of a foreign certificate, while the establishment of the Register of technical regulations and notified/authorised bodies and development of the web portal (TEHNIS) that will be available on the MERD website is in its final stage.
Prof. Predrag Popović PhD spoke about possibilities to upgrade the national quality infrastructure and emphasised that we would be faced in the following period with the upgrade of quality infrastructure through the development and improvement of conformity assessment bodies, intensified work on the adoption and drafting of technical regulations transposing EU Directives into our legislation, increase in the number of accredited conformity assessment bodies the accreditation scopes of which are in accordance with the requirements of the new technical legislation, and signing of the MRA.
Tatjana Cincar Vujović, DMDM Senior Adviser, presented the development in the field of metrology in the Republic of Serbia, role and competences of the DMDM, and fields of DMDM activities arising from a recently adopted Law on Metrology. She was pleased to inform the present delegates about two accreditation certificates that were granted by the Accreditation Body of Serbia and the National Accreditation Body of Greece (ESYD) to the testing laboratory (Metrology Development Sector, Electrical Quantities Department) and calibration laboratory (Metrology Development Sector, Dimensional Quantities and Acoustics Group). Lucija Dujović, DMDM Assistant Director, presented the planned legislative activities of the Directorate for 2011 that pertain to the adoption of the following documents:
1) Regulation on Legal Units of Measurement;
2) Regulation on Conditions for the Recognition of National Measurement Standards in case of Specific Quantities;
3) Regulation on Types, Shape and Mode of Placement of Marks Used as a Proof of Measuring Instrument Testing;
4) Regulation on the Content, Form, and Records Kept by Authorised Bodies;
5) Regulation on the Mode of Testing of Measuring Instrument Types for Specific Types of Measuring Instruments;
6) Regulation on the Periodical Testing of Measuring Instruments, Mode, Test Conditions and Documentation Storage and Documentation Storage Duration.
2011 Work Programme adopted by the Government envisaged the adoption of another three regulations that would transpose EU Directives into the legislation of the Republic of Serbia:
1. Regulation on Measuring Instruments Transposing the Measuring Instruments Directive 2004/22/ES (Measuring Instruments Directive – MID) and Directive 2009/137/ES. The purpose of this Directive is to remove barriers to trade in measuring instruments, and to enable existence of a single market.
2. Regulation on Metrological Conditions for Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments Transposing EU Directive and Directive 2009/23/ES on Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments (Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments – NAWY)
3. Regulation on Test Methods for Pre-packed Products Transposing EU Directives on Pre-packed Products 76/211/ EES, 75/107/EES, 2007/45/ES.
During her lecture, Jelena Bebić presented the role, concept, use, production and selection of reference materials.
Vida Živković MSc, DMDM Director, Prof. Milovan Stanišić PhD, Rector of Singidunum University, and Prof. Branislav Mašić PhD
Snežana Matić, MERD
Prof. Predrag Popović PhD
Tatjana Cincar Vujović, DMDM
Lucija Dujović, DMDM Assistant Director
Jelena Bebić, DMDM