Welcome to the OIML MAA Web Pages

Background

In addition to the existing OIML Certificate System, the OIML has developed a Mutual Acceptance Arrangement (MAA) which is related to OIML Type Evaluations. This Arrangement - and its framework - are defined in OIML B 10-1 and B 10-2.

The MAA is a highly strategic issue not only for the OIML but also for our Member States and Corresponding Members, for the OIML Issuing Authorities and, of course and primarily, for manufacturers of measuring instruments.

The implementation of the MAA began in January 2005 and currently covers measuring instruments related to OIML R 60 (Load cells) and OIML R 76 (Nonautomatic weighing instruments) - fields in which a large number of OIML Certificates of Conformity are issued.

The aim of the MAA is for the participants to accept and utilize Tests Reports validated by an OIML Certificate of Conformity. To this end, participants in the MAA are either Issuing Participants or Utilizing Participants. Issuing Participants are Issuing Authorities which will issue OIML Certificates of Conformity under the MAA. Tests reports associated with these OIML Certificates will be accepted and utilized by Utilizing Participants to issue, for instance, national type approvals.

Expected benefits

- For national legal metrology bodies, to be able to rely on the facilities and competences of other countries' bodies, especially in cases where they do not themselves possess such facilities at national level;

- For OIML Issuing Authorities, to have their test results accepted in other countries; and

- For manufacturers of measuring instruments, to facilitate the type approval of their instruments in various countries, using the "one-stop testing" concept.

Ongoing work

The MAA includes an evaluation of the competence and testing capabilities of the Testing Laboratories of OIML Issuing Authorities according to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025. This evaluation may be carried out either by accreditation or by peer assessments.

Application files for participation are received by the BIML and studied by the Committee on Participation Review (CPR) which decides on the peer assessments to be conducted considering the accreditation of the Testing Laboratories and the scope of these accreditations.

When decided on, peer assessments are conducted by teams of qualified experts. Their assessment reports are evaluated by the CPR which proposes the acceptance of the Issuing Participants. Afterwards each participant is responsible for deciding on the final acceptance of the others. When all the participants agree on the acceptance, a Declaration of Mutual Confidence (DoMC) is signed - attesting to the mutual arrangement.

An important issue is that the MAA may take into account national requirements in addition to those of the relevant OIML Recommendations. To be included in the scope of a DoMC, these requirements have to be evaluated and accepted by the CPR.

The first two Declarations of Mutual Confidence were published on 29 September 2006. Consequently the final R 60 and R 76 CPRs have been established.

The MAA implementation has started for a new category of measuring instruments: Water meters according to OIML R 49. The CIML approved of the revision of OIML R 49 at its 41st CIML Meeting in Cape Town, therefore the scope of the DoMC is now extended to water meters intended for metering hot water.