Legal Metrology

Legal metrology seeks to ensure correctness and accuracy of measurements with the aim of avoiding fraud to the detriment of consumers, users of regulated measuring instruments, and prepackaged (pre-measured) products. This is purely a state function, since it is meant to provide guarantees to society, overseeing impact on consumers, users, producers, traders, importers and exporters. It has bearing on economic and human development, both from the fiscal and the control sides, and provides internationally valid guarantees for trade and the traceability of measurements. Moreover, LATU plays an active role in eliminating technical barriers to trade related to measurement or labeling.

Legal metrology controls all the regulated instruments used in the country. The regulated instruments used in stores or factories are checked on an annual basis; these include: scales (all kinds), taxi meters, gas pumps, commercial tape measures and tank-trucks for the transportation of fuel. Moreover, Legal Metrology is responsible for checking the instruments and devices used in health care (clinical thermometers and mechanical and digital sphygmomanometers). LATU provides the guarantee of due process to those that infringe the regulations and those that fail to pay the verification rates, providing them with advice. Thanks to international cooperation and heavy investment by LATU, the Institute could purchase the equipment and standards required.

Also under its responsibility is the control of pre-measured products (packaged and measured in the absence of consumers).

See National Metrological Institute
See Metrologyical Services