How can Manufacturers best use the MAA?

The OIML Certificate System

This system was set up in 1991. CIML Members are allowed to appoint an OIML Issuing Authority to issue "OIML Certificates of Conformity" for types of measuring instruments.

OIML Certificates are issued after all the tests, evaluations and examinations specified in the relevant OIML Recommendation have been carried out and after compliance with the requirements of this Recommendation has been demonstrated. OIML Certificates are accompanied by an OIML Test Report following the Test Report Format which is part of the Recommendation.

Issuing Authorities are designated under the following conditions:

• The category of instruments is covered by an OIML Recommendation comprising requirements, test procedures and a Test Report Format, and accepted in the OIML Certificate System by the CIML;
• Only one Issuing Authority in each category may be appointed by a CIML Member;
• The designated Issuing Authority must comply with the requirements on competence and impartiality and must work in a non-discriminatory manner.
• The list of Issuing Authorities is maintained up to date by the BIML and published on the OIML web site. Not all Member States have appointed Issuing Authorities, but for the main categories, Issuing Authorities have been designated in a number of countries belonging to most Regions of the world.

Manufacturers may apply for an OIML Certificate from any of the Issuing Authorities on this list. This application will generally be made on the occasion of a national type approval, so that the necessary tests, evaluations and examinations may be carried out on this occasion. When the national requirements for type approval are aligned on the OIML Recommendation, issuing an OIML Certificate should not represent an excessive cost.

The OIML Certificates are sent to the BIML by the Issuing Authority and are registered by the BIML after payment of a registration fee, which is due by the manufacturer to the BIML. In some cases the Issuing Authority may include this registration fee in its invoice to the manufacturer, and pay it directly to the BIML. The list of registered Certificates is published on the OIML web site.

When applying for a national type approval in another country, manufacturers can then provide the OIML Certificate and Test Report in support of their application.

Acceptance of OIML Certificates and Test Reports is voluntary; no national authority is obliged to recognize them. However, a number of bilateral or regional recognition agreements exist, based on OIML Certificates. In addition, a number of countries voluntarily recognize OIML Certificates and/or OIML Test Reports issued by certain Issuing Authorities.

The OIML Mutual Acceptance Arrangement ("MAA")

The purpose of the MAA is to introduce elements in the OIML Certificate System which can increase confidence in these Certificates, and to establish worldwide multilateral agreements, which offer a wider scope than bilateral or regional agreements.

Under the MAA, which is a framework document, Declarations of Mutual Confidence (DoMCs) will be signed for categories of instruments in the OIML Certificate System.

By signing these DoMCs, participants will declare confidence in the test results issued by other participants. Participants will be of two kinds:

• Those who issue Test Reports (they will provide evidence of competence, impartiality and quality);
• Those who do not issue Test Reports under these conditions.

All participants will accept test results when issued by the first kind of participants.

Participants who will issue OIML Certificates and Test Reports under the MAA will have their competence, impartiality and quality system evaluated either by accreditation or by peer assessment.

The Certificates and Test Reports issued under the particular conditions of the DoMCs (assessed and accepted evidence of competence, impartiality and quality), will bear a specific logo, allowed by the BIML.

It is expected that most countries will participate, at least as "acceptors" of test results, so that the OIML Certificates and Test Reports issued by any participant will be readily accepted in as many countries as possible.

Manufacturers will then stand a better chance of having their type evaluations recognized worldwide when these type evaluations have been performed by participants in the corresponding DoMC.

The operation of the MAA will be supervised by the BIML and this supervision will include:

• Gathering information from participants of DoMCs and distributing it to all other participants;
• Organizing peer assessments;
• Assuring the secretariat of the DoMCs' Committees on Participation Review (CPRs);
• Addressing any complaints on the operation of the MAA;
• Registrating the Certificates and Test Reports issued under the DoMCs;
• Looking at the effectiveness of acceptance by participants.

To balance this new workload for the BIML, in addition to an administrative fee due by the Issuing Authorities when applying for a DoMC, a fee will also be due for each Certificate issued under the DoMCs. This fee (510 € in 2006) was adopted by the 12th OIML Conference in October 2004.