CORDIS Archive

Implementation of measuring instrument directives according to the New Approach

1. CONFORMITY WITH THE WORK PROGRAMME

This topic supports Generic Activity 2: Measurement and Testing in the GROWTH Work Programme. It contributes to the development of Methodologies to support standardisation and Community policies (6.2.1) in the field of legal metrology with particular reference to the regulation and control of certain measuring instruments.

It is expected that a number of activities will be proposed, including real and virtual intercomparisons, preparation of guidance documents, technical seminars, conferences and training activities.

2. KEYWORDS

Legal metrology, measuring instruments, intercomparison, testing, software, measurement, conformity assessment.

3. SUMMARY OF OBJECTIVES AND JUSTIFICATION

Experience with the existing Directive on non-automatic weighing instruments has demonstrated the need for collaboration between the bodies responsible for legal metrology in the member States as well as between the notified bodies designated to undertake conformity assessment of measuring instruments. This has been necessary to ensure consistent application of technical requirements and the efficient exchange of information at all levels in order to ensure the complete removal of technical barriers to trade in measuring instruments. This limited collaboration has taken place over a period of ten years, but a much wider programme is now imperative to guarantee the successful implementation of the proposed measuring instruments Directive. The main objectives would be the involvement of all the interested parties, the removal of uncertainty over the interpretation and application of the essential requirements, and the establishment of mutual confidence in the results of conformity testing.

4. BACKGROUND

Legal metrology deals with measuring instruments in applications where the measurement results are of importance to individual consumers or to society at large. All member States had such legislation in place long before the creation of the Community in 1957, and the instruments subject to legal control in many countries range form retail shop weighing scales to exhaust gas analysers, from belt-weighers to utility meters. Hence, the market sector affected by legal metrology is extremely diverse although the scope of regulation is not the same in every country. The measurement technology used in the design of these instruments has seen great changes over the last two or three decades, notably the change form mechanical and electro-mechanical assemblies to micro-electronic technology and software-based computer systems.

One New Approach Directive (90/384/EEC) already exists. This deals only with non-automatic weighing instruments, and a 1991 BCR project, (BCR contract no. 3406/1/0/172/90/10-BCR-D(30)) compared the type approval results obtained by 15 laboratories in Europe on a total of 11 weighing instruments. A further Directive; with much wider scope, is likely to be adopted within 2 or 3 years. It will be a New Approach Directive, aimed at creating an Internal Market for measuring instruments that are subject to legal metrological control, by
- Establishing general and specific essential requirements and conformity assessment requirements while maintaining the high level of consumer protection existing already, and
- Establishing mutual recognition among the Member States of the results of conformity assessment.

Conformity with the essential requirements can be presumed for measuring instruments which comply with the relevant parts of harmonised European standards or of normative documents published by the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML).

The wide range of categories of instruments included in this Directive will lead to the involvement of a large number of different conformity assessment bodies, including many which gave not traditionally been involved in legal metrology. Their participation in collaborative activities will be an essential condition for the effective operation of a single market in measuring instruments.

5. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFITS

The main benefits of the topic will be to reduce technical barriers to trade caused by a multiplicity of national legal requirements for measuring instruments and the problem-free introduction of legislation implementing the proposed measuring instruments Directive. The instruments regulated by the proposed Directive are those which have a direct impact on the social or economic interests of individual consumers or (in the case of exhaust gas analysers) on the environment. It is therefore essential to ensure a harmonised implementation on the basis of well-established common technical criteria.

The development of a common understanding of the technical requirements in the Directive and in the associated European standards and OIML normative documents will contribute significantly to a level playing field for all manufacturers and a common level of protection for consumers. The topic offers an opportunity to improve the rather limited existing level of collaboration through a programme of intercomparison exercises and technical meetings aimed at increasing understanding and improving communication between all the bodies concerned in the member States. It will also inform the work of the Standing Committee (Measuring Instruments Committee) which is proposed in the draft Directive to advise the Commission on amendments to the instrument-specific annexes, on the recommended test programmes, and on the preparation of normative documents by OIML.

6. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL OBJECTIVES

The principal aims of the topic are to :

- Develop confidence in the level of protection provided by the proposed Directive;
- Establish the equivalence of testing performed by notified bodies in various member States;
- Improve collaboration between all the parties involved in legal metrology;
- Promote a harmonised approach to the regulation of measuring instruments, taking into account the different scope of regulation in various countries;
- Disseminate best practice in equipment testing for conformity assessment of measuring instruments and for market surveillance.

It is envisaged that activities supported under this topic could include the following:

- Intercomparisons of test results obtained in a number of notified body laboratories by circulating measuring instruments in Europe;
- Other technical evaluation exercises such as joint assessments at a single location by groups of experts from different bodies;
- 'Virtual' intercomparisons involving the evaluation of real or phantom test results by a number of assessment bodies;
- Conferences or technical seminars;
- Preparation and publication of guidance documents.

The only activities that will be considered for support will be those that contain initiatives that cannot be assumed to be suitable for funding elsewhere (e.g. at the national level). Whenever appropriate, the project should be undertaken in liaison with all European bodies concerned.

7. PARTICIPANTS

8. DELIVERABLES

Deliverables may include but should not be limited to:

- Technical reports recording results of intercomparison and other comparative exercises;
- Best practice guidance for testing and evaluating measuring instruments in accordance with the proposed measuring Directive;
- Advice documents presented to the Standing Committee to be established under the terms of the proposed Directive;
- Reports on conferences, seminars and training events.

9. TIME SCALE

10. IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Some guidance documents relating mainly to non-automatic weighing instruments and packaged goods have been prepared over a period of ten years by WELMEC (the European legal metrology co-operation) working groups. These documents, and further information about WELMEC can be viewed at the WELMEC website: www.welmec.org