Legal – Regulatory framework

The National Quality Infrastructure System (NQIS) is a Legal Entity governed by Private Law which belongs to the wider public sector, has administrative and financial autonomy, operates for the sake of the public interest and is supervised by the Minister of Development.

Τhe NQIS consists of the “Hellenic Organization for Standardization (ELOT)” and the “Hellenic Institute of Metrology (EIM)” as independent operational units with administrative, financial and accounting autonomy.

The basic legal/regulatory framework of the ESYP consists of the following:

Establishment and operation of the NQIS

• Establishment and operation of ESYP: Article 6 of Law 4109/2013, (Government Gazette A’16/23-01-2013), as amended by Article 46 of Law 4155/2013 (Government Gazette A’120/29-05 -2013), article 15 of Law 4242/2014 (Government Gazette A’50/28-02-2014), articles 1-10 of Law 4468/2017 (Government Gazette A’61/28-04-2017) and article 32 of Law 4712/2020 (Government Gazette A’146/29-07-2020).
• NQIS Operating Regulation: No. 114027/2021 Joint Ministerial Decision of the Ministers of Development and Investments, Interior and Finance (Government Gazette B’5065/02-11-2021).
• NQIS Financial Management and Procurement Regulation: No. F.051/10341/487 Joint Ministerial Decision of the Ministers of Finance and Development and Competitiveness, Interior and Finance (Government Gazette B’2547/24-09-2014).
• Law 4310/2014 (Government Gazette A’258/08-12-2014), “Research, Technological Development and Innovation and other provisions”, regarding the possibility of financing the NQIS in accordance with the terms and conditions of the specific law.

Legal/regulatory framework of ELOT

• Law 372/1976 (Government Gazette A’166/30-06-1976), as amended and in force, establishment of ELOT.
• Law 1727/1987 (Government Gazette A’131/10-7-1987), Ratification of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.
• Presidential Decree (P.D.) 229/09-05-1988 (Government Gazette A’98/20-05-1988). “Establishment of an information procedure in the field of standards, technical regulations and certification systems, in accordance with Law 1727/1987 – Ratification of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade”, as in force.
• Law 4038/2012 (Government Gazette A’14/02-02-2012), article 19, which provides for the separation of the certification and laboratories activities of E.L.O.T. S.A. and their contribution to EBETAM S.A..
• Regulation 1025/2012/EC, establishment of the institutional framework for cooperation between European standardization bodies, national standardization bodies, Member States and the Commission regarding European standardization.
• P.D. 81/2018 (Government Gazette A’151/21-08-2018) “Incorporation into Greek law of Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 September 2015 (OJ L 241 of 17.9.2015, p.1 ) “to establish an information procedure in the field of technical specifications and rules on information society services (codified text)””.
• Law 4712/2020 (Government Gazette A’146/02-07-2020), article 32, which clarifies that the responsibilities of ELOT include the “Establishment of certification marks”.
• Law 5019/2023 (Government Gazette A’27/14-02-2023,) article 85, “Reconstitution of the National Standardization Council of the National Quality Infrastructure System – Amendment of article 9 of Law 372/1976”.

Legal/regulatory framework of ΕΙΜ

• Law 2231/1994 (Government Gazette A’139/31-08-1994) “Establishment and operation of the Hellenic Institute of Metrology, the Hellenic Accreditation System and other provisions”.
• Metre Convention (Convention du Mètre): Signed in Paris in 1875 by the representatives of seventeen countries. The Hellenic Republic became a member in 2001, when the Treaty was signed by EIM.
• Law 3427/2005, (Government Gazette A’312/27-12-2005), article 51, Establishment of the E’ Chemical Dept at the General Chemical State Laboratory (GCSL) and creation of a National Chemical Metrology Laboratory.
• Ministerial Decisions 3001148/687 and 3001149/688 (Government Gazette B’81/29-01-2007), Organization and operation of the E’ Chemical Dept of Athens of the General Chemical State Laboratory (GCSL). Collaboration of the General Chemical State Laboratory (GCSL) and the Hellenic Institute of Metrology (EIM).
• Statute of EURAMET / 11-01-2007, Berlin. Establishment of the European Union of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET European Association of National Metrology Institutes). EIM was one of the founding Institutes.
• Agreement of EIM – Hellenic Atomic Energy Commission on Sept. 9, 2015 for the operation of a National Laboratory in the field of ionizing radiation.
• Law 4155/2013, (Government Gazette A’120/29-05-2013), article 41, Amendments to Law 2231/1994 (A΄139) National Time.

For the convenience of our website visitors, we provide links to some of the above legislative/regulatory texts. Almost all the texts can be found on the website of the National Printing Office.