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Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Measuring instruments

Measuring instruments range from water meters to weighing machines. They are important for trade, consumers and industry as they ensure accuracy of measurement, transparency and fairness.

Evolution of the legislation

  • Directive 2014/32/EU on measuring instruments (MID), amended by Directive 2015/13/EU, replacing Directive 2004/22/EC
    • covers 10 categories of measuring instruments, and abolishes the corresponding previous legislation, depending on Framework Directive 2009/34/EC codifying Directive 71/316/EEC
    • adopts a decisively modern regulatory approach, leaving much more room for technological innovation and more choice for manufacturers in conformity assessment procedures
    • aligns Community legislation on international standards, in particular of the OIML and covering the electronic revolution that has characterised measuring instruments since the 1970s
  • Directive 2014/31/EU on non-automatic weighing instruments (NAWI) follows the same approach replacing Directive 2009/23/EC, the codification of the original Directive 90/384/EEC

See the summaries of the legislation on measuring instruments and non-automatic weighing instruments (available in all official EU languages).

Implementation of these directives takes place in close cooperation with WELMEC (European Cooperation in Legal Metrology) which serves as a platform for cooperation among 31 European country authorities.

Guidance documents

To ensure a coherent application of the measuring instruments directives, the Commission and WELMEC prepared a set of guidance. The guidance documents were agreed by the Commission's measuring instruments working group that is composed of representatives of authorities, European federations, notified bodies and European standardisation organisations.

More on guidance documents

Report on MID

In 2010 the Commission held a public consultation on the Measuring Instruments Directive 2004/22/EC. The aim of the consultation was to gather feedback on the implementation of the directive and on the reasons and impacts of possible changes.

Supporting information

Simplification of 8 legal metrology directives