Chapter 1 General Provisions
Article 1.  Objective
Article 2.  Weighing instruments
Article 3. Explanations
Article 4.  Scope of application of the Decision
Article 5.  Primary principle for weighting instruments management
Chapter 2 Rights and Obligations
Article 6.  Rights of the business operations
Article 7. Rights of the consumers
Article 8. Obligations of business operators
Article 9.  Obligation of consumers
Chapter 3 Management and Certification Authorities of the Weighting Instruments
Article 10.  Management and certification authorities
Article 11.   Rights of the management and certification authorities
Article 12.  Main duties of the management and certification authorities
Chapter 4 Documentation system, Inspection rules and Certification
Article 13.  Registration and verification documents
Article 14.  Considerations and approval of documents
Article 15.  Issuing of calibration, traceability and verification certificates
Article 16.  Fees and fines measure
Article 17.  Principles of calibration, traceability and verification
Article18.  Types and time flame for verification
Chapter 5 Types and Attributes of Weighing Instruments
Article 19.  Types of weighing instruments
Article 20.  Components of weighing instruments
Article 21.  Accuracy of the weighing instruments
Article 22.  Labeling and markings
Article 23.  Permissible errors of weighing instruments
Chapter 6 Restrictions
Article 24.  Restrictions for business operations
Article 25.  Restrictions for officers or authority officers
Article 26.  Restrictions for individuals and organizations
Chapter 7 Policies Towards Persons with Outstanding Performance and Measures Against Violators
Article 27.  Policies towards persons with outstanding performance
Article 28.  Measures against authority officers
Article 29.  Other measures against violators
Chapter 8 FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 30.   Implementation
Article 31.   Effectiveness

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LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
PEACE INDEPENDENCE DEMOCRACY UNITY PROSPERITY

Ministry of Science and Technology             No: 0544/MoST
Vientiane Capital, date:   16 May 2017

Decision of
The Minister of Science and Technology
on Weighing Instruments Management in Lao PDR
 

-     Pursuant to The law on Metrology Law, No: 36/NA, dated: 13 Dec 2013;
-     Pursuant to Decrees of  The Prime minister on implementation and performance of Ministry of Science and Technology, No: 309/PM, dated: 28 Sep 2011;
-     Upon the proposal of the Department of Standardization and Metrology, No: 005/MoST-DoSM, dated: 05 Oct 2016.

The Minister of Science and Technology

Decided:

Chapter 1
General Provisions

Article 1.  Objective
The Decisions on Weighing Instruments Management defines policies, principles, rules, and measures for management, test, calibration, registration and verification the weighing instruments that produce, import-export, use and service in Lao PDR. To ensure the unity, accuracy and precision align with regional and international regulation, which aim to support and promote high quality service harmonize with real situation and assigning in national economic-social development.

Article 2.  Weighing instruments
Weighing Instruments are devices to measure weight and mass of the objects to indicate the weight during buying, selling, product exchange and services in unit of mass such as Kilogram (kg).

Article 3. Explanations
1.      Mass is a property of a physical body in unit of kilogram (kg);
2.      e or d is the movement (decrease or increase) of a mass from point to other point on the display of a weighing instrument in primary unit of kilogram (kg)
3.      Analog weighing instrument is a non-automatic weighing instrument;
4.      Digital weighing instrument is an automatic weighing instrument;
5.      Measuring instrument is a device to be used for measurement, there could be a single device or used with other accessories;
6.      Accurate class is a kind of accuracy and precision;
7.      Stamping symbol on a measuring instrument is to protect an instrument from any change, adjustment and replacements;
8.      Verification stamp is a symbol to be used with any measuring instruments and devices that verifies to its accuracy to be calibrated;
9.      Calibration certificate is an official certified document;
10.   Metrology authority organization are Department of Standardization and Metrology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Division of Science and Technology Provinces, Vientiane Capital, Agency of Science and Technology districts as assigned.

Article 4.  Scope of application of the Decision
This Decision is applied to individuals, and organizations that launch the business about weighing instruments in Lao PDR.

Article 5.  Primary principle for weighting instruments management
Weighing instruments management is a kind of scale testing, calibration, registration and verification to improve quality and capability of social-economic on management, services and consumer protection base on the following principle:
1.      To provide the needs and ensure the accuracy and suitable usages;
2.      To ensure the public awareness, justice, unity and transparency, reliability, discrimination,    barrier to trade avoidance and weighing instrument users;
3.      Weighing instruments that import, export, use and service must be registered and calibrated from relevant authority to comply with the management regulation of national, regional and international standards;
4.       To ensure the conformity aligns with laws and the situation of using each weighing instrument.

Chapter 2
Rights and Obligations

Article 6.  Rights of the business operations
Rights of the business operations consist of:
1.      To advertise and promote the weighing instruments after calibration;
2.      To request for justice whenever the calibration of  weighing instrument is not fair;
3.      To inform the relevant management authority for rechecking unless the weighing instrument is not stable;
4.      To exercise other authorities and perform other duties as prescribed by regulations and relevant law. 

Article 7. Rights of the consumers
Rights of the consumers include as followed:
1.     Complain to related authorities whenever service is unfair and non-conformed to standard accuracy of the weighing instruments;
2.     To inform the suppliers for inspection or replacement whenever the weighing instruments are broken or out of tolerance;
3.     To exercise other rights as prescribed by regulations and relevant law.

Article 8. Obligations of business operators
Obligation of business operations consist of:
1.     Samples of weighing instrument shall be calibrated from relevant authorities to comply with the standard before importing;
2.     To sustain the calibration of weighting instruments to align with International System of Unit (SI);
3.     To test, calibrate, install and maintain the capability of weighing instruments as certified by well-known organization;
4.     Weighing instruments that have been installed and serviced to markets and other places of the state or private sectors shall make a contract and stamp from the relevant certified body;
5.     Send your weighing instruments for calibration and registration for certification before using and giving services;
6.     To inform the metrology management authorities at least 1 month before the expired date of the certification;
7.     All weighing instruments shall be calibrated before use;
8.     To be responsible for all damages caused by your weighting instruments;
9.     To be responsible for all weighing instruments that are broken after installation and usage;
10. To collaborate and facilitate to authority officers while inspecting, calibrating and verifying each time;
11. To exercise other obligations as prescribed by regulations and relevant law.

Article 9.  Obligation of consumers
Obligation of consumers include as following:
1.  To use the services by following the recommendation of suppliers;
2.  To be responsible for all damages caused by any adjustment of the weighing instruments;
3.  To exercise other obligations as prescribed by regulations and relevant law.

Chapter 3
Management and Certification
Authorities of the Weighting Instruments

Article 10.  Management and certification authorities
Management and certification authorities assign department of Standardization and Metrology, division of Science and Technology provincials, Vientiane capital as assigned by hierarchy management.

Article 11.   Rights of the management and certification authorities
1.    Calibration, traceability and verification management of weighting instruments to conform to the standards, national regulations and regional and international requirements as defined;
2.    To send the samples of weighting instruments for quality inspection to comply with national, regional and international standards before import, export, usage and services;
3.    To issue the calibration, traceability and verification of the weighing instruments after inspection correctly according to the national, regional and international standards;
4.    Unconformity to the national, regional and international standards after inspection shall be collaborate with related sectors to discontinue the import, export, produce and give services about weighing instruments to inform to the hierarchy management.

Article 12.  Main duties of the management and certification authorities
1.     To collaborate with relevant sectors for re-inspection  the weighting instruments to conform with the national, regional and international standards;
2.     Justice, transparency, equality and  purity on their duty;
3.     To give suggestion to manufacturers, importers, exporters and service suppliers on the process of the  registration for calibration, traceability and verification the weighing instruments;
4.     To maintain and provide information to the relevant sectors on weighing instrument management;
5.     Only weighing instruments that pass the inspection shall be issued the certification of calibration, traceability and verification;
6.     To exercise other duty as prescribed by regulations and relevant law.

Chapter 4
Documentation system,
Inspection rules and Certification

Article 13.  Registration and verification documents
Registration and verification application documents for weighing instruments include as following:
1.      Application form;
2.      Copy of Business operation document;
3.      Copy of production, import, export and service applications;
4.      Certification of origin;
5.      Other related documents.

Article 14.  Considerations and approval of documents

1.      Application for calibration, traceability and verification of weighing instruments shall be considered within 10 days of official working day, since the application is applied;
2.      Complete and verified documents shall be issued within 5 days of official working day.

Article 15.  Issuing of calibration, traceability and verification certificates
Individuals and organizations both national and international organizations that operate their business concerning to weighing instruments in  Lao PDR before import, export, trade and service shall be calibrated, traced and verified by Department of Standardization and Metrology, Division of Science and Technology Provinces, Vientiane Capital as assigned. Registration for weighing instruments will be issued at once without expired date, for the period of verification approval is 1 year since verification date issued.

Article 16.  Fees and fines measure
Calibration, traceability, registration and verification of weighing instruments shall be charged and measured as followed: 1.    Fees shall be referred to the Ordinance of the President on Fees and Service Charges of Metrology Activity that issue each time;
2.    Fines shall be referred to The Decree of The Minister on The fines and Measures for Violators of Standards and Metrology Laws.

Article 17.  Principles of calibration, traceability and verification
Operation principles of calibration, traceability and verification for weighing instruments including:
1.      Verification operation each time shall inform their ID cards issued by Department of Standardization and Metrology, Division of Science and Technology Provinces, Vientiane Capital as assigned; 10% of Samples of the weighing instruments will be verified by Department of Standardization and Metrology, Ministry of Science and Technology;
2.      Verification certificates shall be issued after the weighting instruments verified correctly each time;
3.      In case of the unconformity of verification result shall be suspended the import, export and service temporary referring to the national and regional standards, then report to the relevant sectors for resolution.

Article18.  Types and time flame for verification
Verification and time define for verification of weighting instruments include 03 type as followed:
1.      All weighting instruments shall be verified before use and service including weighting  instruments produced in Laos and import from aboard;
2.      Annual verification shall be implemented once a year;
3.      Emergency verification shall be verified without specific time and informing in advance.

Chapter 5
Types and Attributes of Weighing Instruments

Article 19.  Types of weighing instruments
Types of weighing instruments using in Laos include as followed:
1.      Analog weighing instruments (Analog weight indicator);
2.      Digital weighing instruments (Digital weight indicator).

Article 20.  Components of weighing instruments
1.      Analog weighing instruments (Analog weight indicator) may compose of: balance body, display, pan, readout pointer, zero adjust knob, base unit indicator in Kilogram (kg), balance weight, poise lock and spring.
2.      Digital weighing instruments (Digital weight indicator) may compose of: balance body, reading display, weighing pan, adjustment, circuit board, level and zero setting.

Article 21.  Accuracy of the weighing instruments
Accuracy of the weighing instruments include:
-   Weighing instrument Class I: is a special accuracy class;
-   Weighing instrument Class II: is a high accuracy class;
-   Weighing instrument Class III: is a medium accuracy class;
-   Weighing instrument Class IV: is an ordinary class.

The further details are as followed:

Accuracy class	Sensitivity of the scale (e)	Classes of weighing instrument (n= Max/e)		Minimum value for weighing (min)
		Minimum	Maximum
Class I	From 0.001 g (0.001 g  e) (*)	50 000 (**)	-	100e
Class II	From 0.001 g to 0.05 g (0.001 g  e  0.05 g) ​From 0.1 g (0.1 g  e)	100 5 000	100 000 100 000	20 e 50 e
Class III	From 0.1 g ​to = 2 g (0.1 g  e  2 g) ​From 5 g (5 g  e)	100 500	10 000 10 000	20 e 20 e
Class IV	​From 5 g (5 g  e)	100	1 000	10 e

Note: (*) Weighing instrument that e < 1 mg will not be calibrated and verified, because the permissible error of the weight is already in minimum value; (**) For weighing instrument class I that sensitivity is d < 0,1 mg n would be less than 50.000 n the class of weighing instrument

Article 22.  Labeling and markings
All certified weighing instruments shall be labeled to inform the information about weighing instruments; Information on the label shall be cleared, completed and indicated as below:
1.      Name or trade mark of manufacturer;
2.      Name and address of  factory or company, importer or distributor;
3.      Serial No.;
4.      Band or model;
5.      Indicator of weighing capacity;
6.      Instructions;
7.      Accuracy;
8.      Manufacture date;
9.      Capacity and sensitivity of weighing e or d;
10.  Weighing instrument serviced buying-selling in public shall have two side-display;
11.   Conformity mark on the weighing instrument.

Article 23.  Permissible errors of weighing instruments

Permissible errors of weighing instruments in each class include as followed:

Permissible error	Calibrated weights (m) in unit of sensitivity of the weighing instrument (e)
	Class I	Class II	Class III	Class IV
± 0.5 e	From 0 to 50000 (0 ≤ m ≤ 50000)	From 0 to 5000 (0 ≤ m ≤ 5000)	From 0 to 500 (0 ≤ m ≤ 500)	From 0 to 50 (0 ≤ m ≤ 50)
± 1.0 e	More than 50000 to 200000 (50000<m≤ 200000)	More than 5000 to 20000 (5000< m ≤20000)	More than 500 to 2000 (500 <  m ≤ 2000)	More than 50 to 200 (50 ≤ m ≤ 200)
± 1.5 e	More than 200000 (200000 <  m)	More than 20000 to 100000 (20000<m≤100000)	More than 2000 to 10000 (2000 < m ≤10000)	More than 200 to 1000 (200 <  m ≤ 1000)

 

Chapter 6
Restrictions

Article 24.  Restrictions for business operations Restrictions for Business Operations consist of:

1. To cheat, forge and adjust any measuring equipment relevant to weighing instruments;
2. To use an uncertified weighing instrument or unstamped by any related metrology authorities;
3. The weighing instrument shall be installed firmly before use;
4. To interrupt the performances of metrology verification and inspection authorities; To bribe and consort with inspection authorities;
5. To duplicate the certified document relevant to any weighing instruments;
6. To perform other duties that comply with regulations and laws.

Article 25.  Restrictions for officers or authority officers
Restrictions for authority officers in performance the calibration, traceability and verification consist of:
1.      Authority officers are not allowed to perform their duties without assignment;
2.      Authority officers shall perform duties strictly;
3.     To perform injustice and prejudice against individuals or organizations;
4.     To bribe and use their duties for personal benefit;
5.      To forge, hold back and delay the documents of verification;
6.      To perform other duties that comply with regulations and laws.

Article 26.  Restrictions for individuals and organizations
Restrictions for individuals and organizations consist of:
1.     To interrupt and interfere the performance of inspection authority officers;
2.     To advertise and promote the weighing instruments that are not inspected correctly;
3.     To make pollution to the environment and social;
4.     To assist and protect the violators of this Decision;
5.     To conceal and hide the violation that concerns to the regulations and laws;
6.     To perform other duties that comply with regulations and laws.

Chapter 7
Policies Towards Persons with Outstanding Performance and Measures Against Violators

Article 27.  Policies towards persons with outstanding performance
Individuals and organizations with outstanding performance in cooperation, implementation the regulation and law related to metrology management or this Decision will receive the rewards or other policies as defined by regulation and law.

Article 28.  Measures against authority officers
Authority officers who interrupt or violate this Decision shall be punished as following: education, removal, imposition or dismiss, and other measures as provided by Chapter 8 of Penal Law, in any cases and other relevant regulations and law.

Article 29.  Other measures against violators
Individuals and organizations that violate this Decision shall be warned and subject to educational or disciplinary, fines, penal measures, compensations or punishment as any cases by regulations and laws.

Chapter 8
FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 30.   Implementation
Department of Standardization and Metrology, related departments and equivalent organizations are assigned to organize strictly and realistically implement this decision.

Article 31.   Effectiveness
This Decision comes into effect on the date of its signing and after posting on Lao Official Gazette for 15 days. This Decision is replaced The Decision on registration and Pre-package Management, No: 366/PM.NAST, dated 19 Feb 2017. All registrations that are incompliant with this Decision must be cancelled.

Minister of Science and Technology
(Signed and Sealed) 

Borviengkham Vongdala