Country Information Latvia
Republic of Latvia is composed of the four historical regions of Vidzeme, Kurzeme, Latgale and Zemgale, and covers an area of 64.6 thousand sq. km. The population in 2006 was 2,294,600 million of which approx. 0.8 million inhabitants live in Riga, the Capital of the Republic. According to the Constitution (Satversme), Latvia is a parliamentary republic in which the sovereign power belongs to the people, who are represented by unicameral parliament (Saeima), with 100 members elected in general, equal, direct, secret and proportional elections for four-year period. Latvia has become a member of the European Union on 1 May 2004.
Organisational Structure and Background
Latvia has a centralised metrological structure. The state limited liability company Latvian National Metrology Centre (LNMC) is supervised by the Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia. The Latvian National Metrology institution – Metrology bureau (LATMB) - is structural unit of LNMC.
Metrology functions are laid down by the "Law On Uniformity of Measurements". The objective of the Law is to provide for the uniformity of measurements throughout the Republic of Latvia in order to protect its citizens, environment and consumers from the harmful effects of inaccurate or false measurements and facilitate development of a national economy and international cooperation. Uniformity of measurements throughout the state is to be ensured by traceability of measurements to the national or international measurement standards.
The main tasks of the LATMB are: to ensure and maintain a base of standards of physical quantity me asurement units, to perform the calibration, perform the type approval. As far as legal metrology is concerned, Latvia is a corresponding member of the OIML and the member of WELMEC.
Measuring Instruments Subject to Legal Metrology Control
List of measuring instruments subject to state metrological control and also mandatory reverification intervals for them are given in the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers 'On the Measuring Instruments Subject to the State Metrological Control'. For example:
- Length, area and multi-dimensional measuring instruments (reverification interval: 1-2 years)
- Capacity serving measures (once after production)
- Weights (2 years)
- Non-automatic and automatic weighing instruments (1-2 years)
- Measuring systems for liquids other than water (1 year)
- Cold and hot water meters (4 years)
- Heat meters (2 years)
- Road traffic measuring instruments (taximeters, radars - 1 year)
- Electricity meters (12-16 years)
- Voltage and current transformers (12 years)
- Evidential breath analysers (twice in a year)
- Instruments for measuring vehicle exhaust emissions (1 year)
- Gas meters and volume conversion devices (8-15 years)
- Pressure gauges (manometers and sphygmomanometers) (1 year)
Type Approval
Type approval is performed by the LATMB. LATMB maintains a national database of type approvals and publishes list of issued national approval certificates on www.latmb.lv. The fees for the type approval are according to official price list.
Initial Verification, Inspection and Reverification
Initial verification is performed by conformity assessment institutions, which are accredited by the Latvian National Accreditation Bureau (LATAK - www.latak.lv) pursuant to the standard LVS EN ISO/IEC 17020. The institutions shall have insured civil legal liability. The list of accredited certification institutions is published by Ministry of Economics in the Official Gazette.
Reverification is performed according to the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers “Procedures to be followed for the Subsequent verification, Verification Certificates and Markings”. Reverification intervals for the measuring instruments subject to state metrological control are fixed by the regulations.
MPE for measuring instruments are also defined in the regulations “Procedures to be followed for the Subsequent verification, Verification Certificates and Markings” and they are: MPE x1 for reverification and MPE x2 for inspection purposes in most cases. The verification markings indicate when the verification was carried out. The user of measuring instrument is obliged to submit his instrument at a given reverification date.
Inspection and Market Surveillance
Inspection and market surveillance are provided by the Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC) has also esponsibility of control of pre-packed goods.
Sanctions
Market Surveillance Authority (PTAC) is entitled to impose administrative fines for the violation of legislative enactments in the field of legal metrology.
Directive 2014/31/EU (NAWI)
Directive is transposed by Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers ”Rules for Assessment of Non-Automatic weighing instruments”. No gravity zones are regulated for the purposes of the Directive.
Manufacturers and metrology laboratories use the actual value of the places.
Directive 2014/32/EU (MID)
The directive was implemented in Latvia by several Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers. Mandatory in Latvia are requirements for:
- Water meters
- Gas meters and volume conversion devices
- Active electrical energy meters
- Heat meters
- Measuring systems for liquids other than water
- Automatic weighing instruments
- Taximeters
- Material measures
- Dimensional measuring instruments
- Exhaust gas analysers
Directory Contact Points
LATMB
SAMC Metrology Bureau
Dr Valdis Gedrovics
Contact person for Legal Metrology
Phone: +371 67517728
E-mail: valdis.gedrovics@latmb.lv
http://www.latmb.lv
LAST UPDATE: JANUARY 2018