NWML > MID

What is the Measuring Instruments Directive (MID)?

The MID is a European Directive, adopted in March 2004, that covers a number of different measuring instrument types including automatic weighing instruments, petrol pumps, material measures, and utility meters. The aim of the MID is to create a single market in measuring instruments for the benefit of manufacturers and, ultimately, consumers across Europe.

The UK is required to implement the Directive and NWML, working with Ofgem and the Department for Transport, is responsible for doing so.

Regulations for certain instrument types have now been made, and are available to download from the OPSI website at: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/stat.htm

Provisions relating to the appointment of notified bodies came into force on 30th May 2006 and all the remaining provisions came into force on 30th October 2006. Since then one of the most frequently asked questions has been:

MEASURING INSTRUMENTS DIRECTIVE – NORMATIVE DOCUMENTS

The EU Commission has published a list of normative references in the Official Journal C269 which include details on measuring instruments to which the Measuring Instruments Directive 2004/22/EC apply in relation to related OIML Recommendations.

http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:C:2006:269:SOM:EN:HTML

The Normative references address all the relevant provisions of the Directive ie both the general and instrument specific requirements, in tabular form, in relation to the corresponding paragraphs of the appropriate OIML Recommendation and makes comment, in general terms only, of any differences.

WELMEC documents, published on the WELMEC web-site www.welmec.org set out as guidance full versions of these simplified tables with background information and comment for interested parties.

NWML
January 2007

Do the MID Regulations apply to instruments placed on the market under a certificate of approval issued before 30 October 2006?

No - the MID Regulations only apply to instruments first placed on the market on or after 30 October 2006, and these must have been granted an MID type or design examination certificate.

Instruments for which a national certificate of approval was granted, before 30 October 2006, along with any authorisation of modification to that certificate, issued at any time, may continue to be placed on the market until the date on which the certificate expires. This will be no later than 29 October 2016.

Any instrument already in service may continue to be used indefinitely, as long as it meets the requirements of the Regulations. Instruments initially verified under the existing national legislation, if requiring subsequent verification following obliteration of stamps, must be subsequently re-qualified under the same legislation. Where an instrument is repaired this does not affect its status, it is the type / design approval certificate that dictates what regulatory regime applies.

Notes for Guidance

MID Notes for Guidance have been published and are available from the list below. Also available from the list "Documents relating to MID" below are:

Leaflets providing basic information on the impact of the MID-implementing Regulations. Possible Examples of Article 17 Markings required by the MID Directive
A list of the Regulations and SI numbers published to date
Regulatory Impact Assessments for the implementing Regulations