The OIML Certification System (OIML-CS) is a system for issuing, registering and using OIML type examination certificates, and associated OIML type evaluation reports for types of measuring instruments(including families of measuring instruments, modules, or families of modules), based on the requirements of OIML International Recommendations. OIML-CS was officially put into effect on January 1, 2018 to replace the OIML Basic Certificate System introduced in 1991 and OIML Mutual Acceptance Arrangement (OIML MAA) introduced in 2005. The new OIML-CS plays a significant role in boosting international trade, reducing trade barriers, improving mutual trusts among countries and facilitating the integration of world economy.
OIML-CS is a voluntary system and all OIML Member States and Corresponding Members are free to participate, aiming to coordinate the legal metrological requirements in different countries, promote the understanding and implementation of OIML International Recommendations around the globe, boost mutual trust among member states over the test results in avoidance of unnecessary re-testing, and help measuring instrument manufacturers acquire type approval in different countries (as OIML certificates are conducive for the first verification of a single measuring instrument in countries not requiring type approvals), so as to finally realize “one test, one certificate, global recognition”.
OIML MAA and OIML Basic Certificate System have been both utilized for a long period of time. In recent years, OIML has adopted a series of transformations to expand the issuing scope of OIML certificates and facilitate mutual recognition of these certificates. The resolution to implement OIML-CS was passed on the 51st International Conference on Legal Metrology. The implementation of OIML-CS places international cooperation and mutual recognition of metrology on a new starting point. On the one hand, it drives measuring instrument manufacturers to develop, produce, sell and use measuring instruments according to OIML International Recommendations and international standards, so that they may play tangible and significant roles. On the other hand, it helps domestic metrology technical bodies to improve their managing and technical abilities to better serve manufacturers; and facilitates measuring instrument manufacturers to learn about the international metrology mutual recognition system, make active use of its efficiency and convenience, and keep polishing their technological and innovative competences through applying for and acquiring OIML certificates. In such a way, the performance of measuring instruments can be improved from low-end to high-end, thus improving the competitiveness of measuring instruments made in China and forging forward the development of the measuring instrument industry. As a major country that manufactures and utilizes measuring instruments, China is taking proactive measures to facilitate and implement OIML-CS, which will effectively promote the dual improvement of measuring instrument manufacturing and legal metrological management quality in the country, and give endurable boost to the Chinese metrological system for being better geared to international systems, as well as to the realization of the international development strategy of the metrology industry.