Country Information

The decimal metric system was introduced in 1875. According to historical sources, a metrological office operated in Ljubljana as early as 1877. When, in 1991, the Republic of Slovenia declared its independence, the Standards and Metrology Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (SMIS) was established within the Ministry of Science and Technology. In 2001, a reorganisation of the Slovenian civil service took place. By separating Standardisation and Accreditation from SMIS, SMIS was restructured into Metrology Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (MIRS), which continues its work in the field of metrology as the Slovenian national metrology institution. Today MIRS is working under the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology.

MIRS plays the central role in the distributed Slovenian metrology system. In implementing its mission, MIRS closely collaborates with Slovenian Universities as well as with the research and other institutes. It is also a participating member of various international organisations in the field of metrology, both in Europe and world-wide.

Based on Law on Metrology (2005) MIRS is responsible for:

• preparing and implementing the metrology strategy
• conformity assessment of measuring instruments
• national metrological laboratories for particular physical quantities
• national measurement standards
• managing the legal metrology system
• managing the precious metal products system
• collaborating with international and other organisations and representing in them the national metrology service
• surveillance of the measuring instruments on the market, supervision of measuring instruments in use, supervision of pre-packed products and  units of measurement

Because of the key importance of metrology for a sustainable development of all areas within the country, a Metrology Board was established as a consulting body to the minister in charge of metrology. The Board provides advice in determining the national metrological needs, and proposes scientific and training activities in the field of metrology.

Metrology related legislation is drafted by MIRS and issued by minister of Ministry of Economic Development and Technology.

• Measuring vessels for liquids
• Measuring container bottles
• Material measures of length
• Length measuring instruments
• Bulk milk meters
• Capacity serving measures
• Measuring systems for continuous and dynamic measurement of quantities of liquids other than water
• Measuring systems for compressed gaseous fuels for vehicles
• Measuring systems for static measurements of quantities of liquids on transportable measuring tanks
• Fixed storage tanks
• Water meters
• Heat meters
• Gas meters and volume conversion devices
• Non-automatic weighing instruments
• Automatic weighing instruments:
  • Discontinuous totalising
  • Continuous totalising
  • Gravimetric filling
  • Rail weighbridges
  • Catch weighers
  • Road vehicles in motion
• Weights
• Automatic level gauges for measuring the level of liquid in stationary storage tanks
• Roller brake testers
• Tyre pressure gauges
• Blood pressure gauge
• Electrical energy meters (active, reactive)
• Measuring voltage and current transformers
• Traffic speed meters
• Taximeters
• Exhaust gas analysers (spark ignition, compression)
• Evidental breath analysers
• Refractometers

NAWI and MID directives are transposed for all categories except for area measuring instruments and multidimensional measuring instruments from MID Annex 11.

There are two notified bodies in the field of metrology directives. MIRS is a notified for NAWI and MID, and SIQ is notified for MID.

Details about MIRS and SIQ notification are given the NANDO database http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/nando/index.cfm.

MIRS is designated body for the national type approvals. MIRS may use other test laboratories which comply with the requirements of  ISO/IEC 17025 standard. Fees and costs for issuing a pattern approval certificate or for performing a pattern evaluation and verification are defined in Government's Ordinance.

All approvals issued by MIRS are available on MIRS web site http://www.mirs-info.si/mainindex.php

MIRS and bodies nominated by MIRS are responsible for national initial verification and periodic verification. Generally, verifications are carried out by MIRS if there are no nominated bodies for the type of instrument concerned.

By the end of 2020 36 bodies were nominated. Nomination is done by MIRS. The basic requirement for nomination is the accreditation according to SIST EN ISO/IEC 17020. The nominated bodies are supervised by MIRS.

National initial verification of new instruments can be also performed by manufacturers with approved quality system, allowing them to declare conformity of their instruments with legal and type approval requirements.

A mandatory system of periodic verification is in operation. The re-verification frequencies of the measuring instruments are determined in the rules for metrological requirements for those measuring instruments.

• Length measuring instruments: 2 years
• Fuel dispensers:2 years
• Non-automatic weighing instruments: 2 years (up to Max = 9 t), 1 year (above Max = 9 t)
• Automatic weighing instruments: 1 - 2 years
• Water meters: 5 years
• Electricity meters: 4 years (statistical verification)
• Gas meters: 12 or 8 years (diaphragm), 10 years (turbine and rotary), 5 years (other), 5 years (volume conversion devices)
• Exhaust gas analysers: 8 months
• Material measures of length: 2 years (only required for measures longer than 2 m)
• Taximeters: 1 year
• Measuring systems (other than water): 2 years
• Thermal energy meters: 5 years
• Roller brake testers: 1 year
• Opacimeters: 1 year
• Tyre pressure meters: 1 year
• Blood pressure gauges: 2 years
• Traffic speed meters: 1 year
• Evidental breath analysers: 1 year

Latest figures show that some 275.000 measuring instruments are annually verified. Repairers are not permitted to verify instruments after repair.

MIRS operates a random inspection programme of:

1. measuring instruments on the market and in service
2. pre-packed products (with and without “e- mark”)
3. correct use of units of measurement

using staff of its Metrology Supervision Division.

MIRS is responsible authority for market surveillance on non-automatic weighing instruments and measuring instruments covered by the MID. Supervision over measuring instruments in use included inspection of verification and sealing marks, conformity with type approval certificate and correct use of measuring units. It could be performed a control of errors by performing control testing of measuring instruments also accordance to internal working plan or regarding complaints of costumers.

Staff in type approval and verification are mostly engineers with a technical background.

Staff in the metrological supervision (authorized officials) are inspectors with at least a degree in a particular profession and metrological supervisors with at least an intermediate technical school background. Both have to pass a proficiency examination.

Officers are restricted to legal metrology work and are not involved in any wider consumer protection service.

There are more than 100 employees of nominated private body which are also authorised to perform verification within the scope of nomination of their company.

Sanctions are based upon a system of administrative penalties. A preventive enforcement policy is applied resulting in penalties normally only being applied in cases where fraud is evident.

The fine shall be imposed by MIRS inspectors and metrological supervisors.

Non-suitable instruments, pre-packed products and non-correct units of measurement can be prohibited for further use or being on the market.

No gravity zones have been established in Slovenia for NAWI and there are no formal requirements for gravity zone stickers.

Manufacturers have the responsibility for bringing the instruments within the mpe for new instruments at the place of their use.

In the table are g-values calculated according to WELMEC 2 (Issue 3), Chapter “3.3 Gravity zones” for some major cities in Slovenia: