International legal metrology
How OPSS contributes to international legal metrology and who to contact.
Introduction
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) co-ordinates input into international forums including the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML).
OPSS aims to positively influence international legal metrology forums to benefit UK businesses, their customers and consumers. This is done by active participation in a number of international committees covering areas of interest to UK businesses and consumers. OIML is working towards ensuring a level playing field and reducing technical barriers to international trade.
As well as providing the government to government point of contact for weights and measures, OPSS actively participates in OIML with the aim of influencing regulatory requirements internationally in accordance with the wishes of UK stakeholders, including manufacturers, legislators, and enforcers.
Read the latest OIML bulletins to understand more about the work of OIML.
The role of OIML
The International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) is an intergovernmental body, established in 1955. Its main objective is to achieve international harmonisation for legal metrology, providing an important basis for measurement credibility, eliminating technical barriers to trade in measuring instruments and promoting international trade by confidence in measurement capability.
OIML produces international recommendations which are similar to technical standards and provide the basis for laws regulating measuring equipment, and quantity control and quantity labelling pre-packages. It also produces OIML documents which give guidance on establishing a legal measurement system. These recommendations and documents are drawn up in technical committees consisting of experts from various member states. OPSS’ role is to facilitate the development and approval process of these recommendations and ensure that UK interests are fully represented.
There are currently 60 member states and a further 68 corresponding country members that make OIML influential in harmonising world legal metrology requirements.
UK OIML secretariats
On behalf of the UK, OPSS operates some of the OIML technical committees (TC) and subcommittees (SC). The following table provides contact details should you wish to get involved and influence the technical working recommendations of international legal metrology.
| Technical Committee | OPSS contact |
|---|---|
| Measuring instruments for length and associated quantities ( TC 7 ) | Christine Ward |
| Measurement of areas ( TC 7/ SC 3 ) | Morayo Awosola |
| Water meters ( TC 8/ SC 5 ) | Morayo Awosola |
| Automatic weighing instruments ( TC 9/ SC2 ) | Morayo Awosola |
UK OIML participation
The UK participates in a variety of technical committees and subcommittees, such as metrological supervision and measuring instruments for road traffic. Visit the OIML website to see the complete list of technical committees and subcommittees.
UK single point of contact
If you wish to discuss the work of the UK on international legal metrology please contact:
Morayo Awosola
International Project Leader
Office for Product Safety and Standards
Stanton Avenue
Middlesex
TW11 0JZ
Email: morayo.awosola@beis.gov.uk
Direct line: 020 8943 7287