Summary information in PDF format is available here.

Information updated as of 01.06.2020.

Organizations involved.

The infrastructure of the National Metrology System includes:

a) the central authority for metrology – the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure;

b) the National Institute of Metrology;

c) the National System of Standards;

d) the National Metrology Council;

e) metrology services of legal entities;

f) the Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance.

The tasks of the central authority for metrology are:

The elaboration and promotion of the state policy in the field of metrology, the management and coordination of the metrology activity at national level.

The basic functions of the central authority for metrology:

- elaborates draft legislative and normative acts, participates in the drafting and coordination of the draft legislative and normative acts in order to ensure the metrological traceability of the measurement results to the International System of Units (SI) through procedures recognized and accepted at international level;

- represents the Republic of Moldova in regional and international metrology organizations;

- approves general legal metrology regulations and legal metrology rules, also carries out the examination of draft regulations applicable in the field of metrology;

- approves national standards;

- designates legal entities to carry out metrological  verifications of  measuring instruments subject to legal metrological control and to carry out measurements in areas of public interest, monitors the designated legal entities;

- coordinates training programs in metrology;

- negotiates agreements with other states on the mutual recognition of metrological test results for the purpose of type approval, metrological verification results, technical competence of the measuring instruments laboratories;

- coordinates and monitors the metrology activities of the National Metrology Institute as well as the entities designated by the central metrology authority.

The tasks of the National Institute of Metrology are:

The implementation of the national policy on metrology at national level.

The National Institute of Metrology has the following attributions:

- ensures the metrological traceability of the results of the measurements carried out in the Republic of Moldova, to the International System of Units (SI) by elaborating, researching, developing, maintaining the national standards, comparing the national standards at the regional and international levels and the dissemination of the units of legal measurement from national standards to hierarchical low standards to work standards;

- concludes and implements mutual recognition agreements for national standards and calibration certificates issued by national metrology institutes in accordance with the requirements of the International Committee of Measures and Weights (CIMP MRA);

- consult the central specialized bodies of the public administration and the natural and legal persons on technical issues in metrology;

- participates, according to its competencies, at the international and regional metrology forums and organizations, also carries out other international metrology collaboration functions delegated by the central metrology authority;

- it is the body competent to determine at the national level technical competence in the field of metrology, including in relation to standards; 

- performs legal metrological control through  type approvals, verifications of measuring instruments in special situations, where only the National Metrology Institute is technically equipped to perform them, through metrology expertise and expertise in drafting normative documents in the field of legal metrology;

- receives notifications in the manner provided by this law and manages the Register of natural and legal persons that repair, put into operation and install measuring instruments, as well as of the legal entities that carry out product pre-packaging, production and / or import of measuring container bottles, also manages the relevant database; 

- creates and manages the national fund of Normative documents in the field of legal metrology and also establishes the manner of using this fund.

The tasks of the Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance: Execution, on behalf of the State, the metrological supervision under Law no.7 of 26 February 2016 on market surveillance concerning the marketing of non-food products, and Law no.131 of 8 June 2012 on state control over entrepreneurial activity. Agency is subordinate the central metrology authority and shall perform, without charging fees or similar charges, the metrological supervision of the observance by the natural and legal persons of the provisions of normative documents in the field of legal metrology.

The tasks of the metrology services of legal persons are:

 - carrying out the initial, regular verifications and metrological verification of the repaired measuring instruments subject to legal metrological control;

- taking measurements in areas of public interest.  

In the Republic of Moldova, 9 laboratories, including private ones, are designated for carrying out initial, periodical metrological verifications and metrological verification of the repaired measuring instruments subject to legal metrological control. For taking measurements in the public interest, 1 legal entity is designated.

In the Republic of Moldova, units of the International System of Units (SI) are applied. Decree of the Government of the Republic of Moldova No. 909 dated 11/05/2014 on the approval of legalized units adopts Council Directive 80/181 / CEE on the approximation of the laws of the Member States regarding units and Directive (UE) 2019/1258.

(https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=18648&lang=ru)

Law on Metrology No.19 of 04.03.2016

Legal metrological control shall be carried out in the following areas of public interest:

- public health;

- public order and safety;

- environmental protection;

- consumer protection;

- levying taxes and duties;

- the fairness of commercial transactions.

The legal metrological control shall be applied, according to the provisions of the present law, to measuring instruments and measurements in the public interest areas specified, as well as pre-packages and measuring container bottles.

The official list of measuring instruments and measurements subject to legal metrological control is approved by the Decree of the Government RМ No. 1042 dated 13/09/2016.

(https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=102594&lang=ru).

1. Legal and technical requirements for type approval Requirements for type approval (TA) are set in Decree of the Government RМ No. 1042 dated 13/09/2016, Appendix 1 "The way to organizing and conducting the type approval of the measuring instruments subject to legislative metrological control".

Type approval is provided to measuring instruments used in areas of public interest that are produced or imported into the Republic of Moldova in small batches or in single copies and have not previously been used and do not have type approval.

The type approval does not apply to measuring instruments used in areas of public interest specified in the annex No.3 to Law No.235 of 1 December 2011 on accreditation and conformity assessment activities. The conditions for the placing on the market and/or putting into service of the measuring instruments and the non-automatic weighing instruments are established by Government Decision No. 408 of June 16, 2015 “On the approval of the Technical Regulation on ensuring the presence of measuring instruments on the market” (overrides European Directive 2014/32/EC Of the Parliament and the Council of February 26, 2014 on harmonization of the legislation of the Member States on ensuring the presence of measuring instruments on the market) and Government Decision No. 267 of April 8, 2014 “On the approval of the Technical Regulations on non-automatic weight measuring instruments” (partially revises Directive 2014/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of February 26, 2014 on the harmonization of the laws of member states on the presence on the market of non-automatic weighing instruments).

2. Bodies, responsible for type approval

The National Institute of Metrology carries out type approval of a measuring instrument with the issuance of a type approval certificate. The approved measuring instrument is included in the State Register of measuring instruments. As a result of the decision on the type approval of measuring instruments, the National Institute of Metrology issues a type approval certificate together with a description of the type of measuring instrument — an integral part of the certificate. Type Approval Certificate is valid for 10 years.

3. Bodies, responsible for testing for type approval Testing for type approval of measuring instrument are carried out by the National Institute of Metrology.

4. Recognition of OIML certificates Moldova is an associate OIML member. Currently Moldova does not take part in the OIML Certification System.

1. Legal and technical requirements for initial and periodic verification

The measuring instruments used in areas of public interest are subject to initial metrological verification, and during operation and/or after repair, to periodic metrological verification, respectively metrological post-repair verification at intervals permitted by the Official List.

The method of verification of measuring instruments subject to legislative metrological control is established by a Government Decree RM No. 1042 of 13/09/2016.

When placing on the market and/or putting into use the measuring instruments, subject to legal metrological control, are subject to initial metrological verification, except for the measuring instruments and the non-automatic weighing instruments specified in Annex No. 3 to Law No.235 of 1 December, 2011 on accreditation and conformity assessment activities.

The measuring instruments used in areas of public interest, which are operated by natural and legal persons, are subject to mandatory regular/post-repair metrological verification, irrespective of the way of placing them on the market.

The results of verification are certified by a certificate of verification and (or) application of a verification mark on the measuring instruments or in the absence of such an opportunity on its operational documentation.

2. Bodies for verification

Metrological verification of measuring instruments used in areas of public interest is carried out by designated metrological laboratories of the National System of Metrology or the National Institute of Metrology in special circumstances when only it is technically equipped to perform the corresponding metrological verification.

3. RVIs for 20 categories of MIs

The official list of measuring instruments and measurements subject to legislative metrological control is approved by the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Moldova No. 1042 dated 13.09.2016 (https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=102594&lang=ru).   

According to the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Moldova No. 1042 dated 13.09.2016, the RVIs (years) are established for the following 20 categories of MIs:

4. Other national requirements for verification

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1. Brief description of the system

In the Republic of Moldova, the conditions for introducing and/or putting into operation the corresponding measuring instruments and non-automatic weighing instruments using a conformity assessment are established by Government Decision No. 408 of June 16, 2015 “On approving the Technical regulation on ensuring the presence of measuring instruments in the market” which transposes Directive 2014/32/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February, 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to making available on the market of measuring instruments and Government Decision No. 267 of April 8, 2014 “On the approval of the Technical Regulation on non-automatic weight measuring instruments” which partially transposes Directive 2014/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February, 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to making available on the market of non-automatic weighing instruments (NAWID).

2. Bodies for assessment of conformity with the type

The conformity assessment procedures specified in these Technical Regulations are carried out by conformity assessment bodies accredited and recognized for notification purposes, in accordance with Law No.235 of 1 December, 2011 on accreditation and conformity assessment activities.

(https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=100065&lang=ru)

National Institute of Metrology is accredited and recognized for performing conformity assessment in accordance with the Government Decision No. 408 of June 16, 2015 “On approving the Technical regulation on ensuring the presence of measuring instruments in the market” which transposes Directive 2014/32/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February, 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to making available on the market of measuring instruments and Government Decision No. 267 of April 8, 2014 “On the approval of the Technical Regulation on non-automatic weight measuring instruments” which partially transposes Directive 2014/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February, 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to making available on the market of non-automatic weighing instruments (NAWID).

1. Legal requirements for controlling prepackages

The requirements for legislative metrological control of pre-packages and of measuring container bottles are presented in the Law on Metrology No. 19/2016; in Government Decision No. 907 of 04/04/2014 on the approval of the general rules of legal metrology regarding packaging, depending on the weight and volume of certain packaged products and in Government Decision No. 881 of 10/21/2014 on the approval of the General rules on legal metrology, establishing requirements for measuring container bottles.  

The pre-packages intended for sale in constant nominal unit quantities and the bottles used as measuring containers are subject to legal metrological control.

Pre-packages meeting the requirements set out in the general legal metrology regulation applicable before being placed on the market shall be marked with the letter "e" by the legal entities making the pre-packages by mass or by volume or importing this type of products.

Measuring container bottles which meet the requirements set out in the applicable general metrology regulation before being placed on the market are marked with the sign „з” (reversed epsilon) by the manufacturer.

2. Documents, setting requirements for prepackages

- Law on Metrology No. 19 of 04/03/2016.

- Government Decision No. 907 of 04/04/2014 on the approval of the general regulation of legal metrology in relation to packaging, depending on the weight and volume of certain packaged products.

- Government Decision No. 881 of 21/10/2014 on the approval of the general regulation on legal metrology, establishing the requirements for measuring container bottles.

3. Bodies, involved in control of prepackages

The Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance exercises, on behalf of the State, the metrological supervision of the observance by the natural and legal persons of the provisions of normative documents in the field of legal metrology, related to the obligations of legal entities that carry out product pre-packaging, production and/or import of measuring container bottles.

4. Other national requirements for prepackages

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The Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance exercises, on behalf of the State, the metrological supervision under Law No.7 of 26 February 2016 on market surveillance concerning the marketing of non-food products, and Law No.131 of 8 June 2012 on state control over entrepreneurial activity. The Agency  is subordinate to the central metrology authority and shall perform, without charging fees or similar charges, the metrological supervision of the observance by the natural and legal persons of the provisions of normative documents in the field of legal metrology, related to:

- the proper use of the units and their symbols in accordance with this law;

- the obligations of users of measuring instruments subject to legal metrological control; c) the obligations of manufacturers and importers of measuring instruments when they are made available on the market and put into service;

- the obligations of legal entities that carry out product pre-packaging, production and/or import of measuring container bottles;

- the accuracy of the measurements specified in Article 12 (1) Law on Metrology No. 19/2016.  

When conducting metrological surveillance, the Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance may involve the control bodies of the central specialized bodies within the public administration.

Legal entities performing metrological verifications of measuring instruments subject to legal metrological control by metrological verification have sufficient personnel with the competence, technical studies, training, knowledge, skills and experience required to carry out the metrological verification.  

The requirements for the competence of the verifiers are set out in Government Decision No. 1118 of November 14, 2018 on the approval of the General regulation on legal metrology on the procedure for authorizing the verification of measuring instruments and performing measurements in areas of public interest.

(www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=109884&lang=ru)

Violations of the rules in the field of metrology and corresponding sanctions are established in Art. 345 of the Law No. 218-XVI of 10/24/2008 Code of the Republic of Moldova on offense.

(https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=121477&lang=ru).