OIML Certificate

Syllabus: GS-3/Economy

In News

• India has become the 13th internationally accepted authority for issuing International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML) certificates.

What is Legal Metrology?

• Legal Metrology is the application of legal requirements to measurements and measuring instruments.
• The objective of Legal Metrology is to ensure public guarantee from the point of view of security and accuracy of the weighments and measurements.
• The specifications for weighing and measuring instruments have been prescribed in the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011.

What is the OIML certificate?

• An OIML certificate is issued for selling weights & measures anywhere in the world. 
• To sell a weight or measure in the International market an OIML Pattern Approval certificate is mandatory, which will be issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs. 
  • India follows OIML recommendations and procedures of testing and calibration of weights and measures.
• The domestic manufacturers of weighing and measuring equipment, like BP meters, oximeters and cloth scales, can now get the instruments tested in India itself before selling them in the international market.

What is the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML)?

• It is an intergovernmental treaty organization, established in 1955 in order to promote the global harmonization of legal metrology procedures that underpin and facilitate international trade.
• It plays a crucial role in harmonising national laws and regulations on performance of measuring instruments like clinical thermometers, alcohol breath analysers, radar speed measuring instruments, ship tanks found at ports, and petrol dispensing units.
• India became a member of the OIML in 1956. In the same year, India signed the metric convention with the standards of Weights and Measures Act.
• Other Countries that can issue this certificate are Australia, Switzerland, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, France, United Kingdom, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, and Slovakia.

Source: IE